Goals from Zimmerman, Sargent and Weah Propel Youthful USA Past Bolivia 3-0

CHESTER, Pa. (May 28, 2018) – First international goals from Walker Zimmerman, Josh Sargent and Tim Weah propelled the USA to a 3-0 friendly victory against Bolivia at Talen Energy Stadium on Memorial Day.

The USA’s starting XI took the field with an average age of just 22 years, 160 days old. While the MNT attack took some time to find its footing, the young talent in the USA ranks put on an encouraging display. Weah made a number of threatening runs on the right wing and combined well with Christian Pulisic and Sargent. Weah and Sargent were the two youngest U.S. players on the field and the former U-17 World Cup teammates partnered for some of the MNT’s best opportunities.

The red, white and blue broke through late in the first half. A 37th-minute corner kick from Joe Corona found Walker Zimmerman at the penalty spot, where he rose above his mark to rifle a header into the top right corner and give the USA a 1-0 lead. The goal marked Zimmerman’s first international tally and Corona’s first assist.

After the break, Sargent, playing up top as the lone forward, capitalized on some lackadaisical play from Bolivia by intercepting a pass from substitute goalkeeper Carlos Lampe in the penalty box before pinging a low shot off Lampe into the net for a 52nd-minute goal.

Just seven minutes later, Weah also opened his senior account. Left back Antonee Robinson made an impressive run up the left side and drilled a low ball across the top of the six-yard-box for a hard-charging Weah to volley it into the roof of the net to make it 3-0. Both just 18 years old, Sargent and Weah’s goals make them the fifth and fourth youngest goalscorers in MNT history, respectively.

On the defensive end, Zimmerman, debutants Erik Palmer-Brown and Robinson as well as captain for the USA Eric Lichaj put in a solid shift behind a relentless defensive midfield effort from Weston McKennie to help goalkeeper Alex Bono and the U.S. notch a clean sheet.

Next Up: The U.S. Men’s National Team heads to Europe to take on Republic of Ireland on June 2 in Dublin at Aviva Stadium in Dublin (3 p.m. ET; ESPN2, UniMás, UDN) and France on June 9 at Groupama Stadium in Lyon (3 p.m. ET; ESPN, UniMás). 

Goal Scoring Rundown:
USA - Walker Zimmerman (Joe Corona), 37th minute: Bolivia poked the ball out from Weston McKennie on a run down the right side to give the USA a corner kick, one of seven in the first half. Joe Corona lined up to take it, and Zimmerman lurked behind the central crowd in the box. He moved up to the penalty spot as Corona approached, leapt above his marking defender, Ronald Raldes, and sent a header into the top right corner for his first international goal. USA 1, BOL 0 [WATCH]

USA – Josh Sargent, 52nd minute: As substitute Bolivia goalkeeper Carlos Lampe attempted to play the ball out of the back of his defense, he didn’t put enough on his chipped pass, allowing Sargent to intercept. He turned on goal and snapped a hard shot at Lampe that bounced off the ‘keeper’s shins and rolled into the net, making Sargent the second-youngest player to score in his MNT debut. USA 2, BOL 0 [WATCH]

USA – Tim Weah (Antonee Robinson), 59th minute: The USA’s third goal came as center back Erik Palmer-Brown played Robinson forward on a run up the left side. Robinson made some shifty moves to get past a defender as he neared the Bolivia endline before whipping a low cross into the middle of the six-yard box. Weah charged in to one-touch the ball up and over Lampe into the net and become the fourth youngest goalscorer in MNT history. USA 3, BOL 0 [WATCH] FINAL

Key Saves:
BOL – Guillermo Viscarra, 13th minute: After Bolivia took possession in the USA’s final third, Walker Zimmerman pounced on an errant pass and booted it upfield to initiate an early U.S. chance. His ball found Rubio Rubin in the center circle, where the Tijuana midfielder turned and found Tim Weah streaking towards the net on the right side. Facing a one-on-one near the top of the box Viscarra got a leg out to deny Weah’s attempt.

BOL – Luis Haquin, 20th minute: Bolivia intercepted a USA free kick in its own territory, but Weston McKennie recovered to poke the ball out. Sargent collected the loose ball in stride and took a few touches across the top of the box, before cutting it back to Weah, who one-touched it back as Sargent dashed to the net, but the Werder Bremen forward’s one-timed shot was deflected by Haquin.

NOTES

• With the win, the MNT moves to 2-2-4 all-time against Bolivia.
• With his 52^nd minute strike, Josh Sargent (18 years, 102 days) became the second-youngest MNT player in the modern era to score in his international debut. He sits behind only Juan Agudelo who was 17 years, 359 days when he tallied in the USA’s 1-0 win at South Africa on Nov. 17, 2010.
• Tim Weah’s 59^th minute goal made him the fourth youngest MNT goal-scorer all-time. Weah follows Christian Pulisic (17 years, 253 days; May 28, 2016 vs. Bolivia), Agudelo (Nov. 17, 2010 at South Africa) and Jozy Altidore (18 years, 96 days; Feb. 6, 2008 vs. Mexico). Sargent's goal seven minutes earlier makes him the MNT’s fifth youngest goal scorer, just two days behind Weah (18 years, 100 days).  
• Walker Zimmerman tallied his first international goal in just his third international appearance with the opening goal in the 37^th minute.
• Both Joe Corona and Antonee Robinson recorded their first international assists. Corona served the corner kick to Zimmerman for Zimmerman’s opening goal, while Robinson, who also made his debut, provided the helper on Weah’s 59^th minute strike.
• Making his international debut, Alex Bono combined with the back line to keep the MNT’s defensive record perfect in 2018. Bono is the eighth goalkeeper in the modern era to record a shutout when going the full 90 minutes in his international debut.
• The MNT has not conceded a goal in 329 minutes, with the last one coming in the 31^st minute of a 1-1 draw at Portugal on Nov. 14, 2017.
• The Starting XI’s average age was 22 years, 160 days and average cap number was 6.7
• Eight starters were 24 and younger: Bono (24); Rubin (22), Palmer-Brown (21), Robinson (20), McKennie, Pulisic (19), Sargent, Weah (18)
• Continuing his rich history in the Philadelphia area, veteran defender Eric Lichaj captained the MNT for the first time tonight. Lichaj made his MNT debut in a 0-0 draw with Colombia at Talen Energy Stadium on Oct. 12, 2010 and scored his first international goal in last year’s 2-0 Gold Cup quarterfinal win against El Salvador on July 19, 2017 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.
• Pennsylvania native and 2017 U.S. Soccer Male Player of the Year Christian Pulisic made his first MNT appearance since last October.
• Six players made their MNT debuts tonight: Alex Bono, Erik Palmer-Brown, Antonee Robinson, Josh Sargent, Keaton Parks and Matt Olosunde, who hails from nearby Trenton, N.J.
• Seven of the players that appeared in the match represented the USA at a Youth World Cup: Palmer-Brown (2015, 2017 U-20), Olosunde (2015 U-17), Pulisic (2015 U-17), Rubin (2015 U-20), Sargent (2017 U-17, U-20), Villafaña (2009 U-20), Weah (2017 U-17).
• Born just two days apart, Sargent (Feb. 20) and Weah (Feb. 22) jointly became the first players born in 2000 to earn a start for the MNT.

- U.S. Men’s National Team Match Report -

Match: U.S. Men’s National Team vs. Bolivia
Date: May 28, 2018
Competition: International Friendly
Venue: Talen Energy Stadium; Chester, Pa.

Scoring Summary:    1          2          F                                                         
USA                             1          2          3

USA – Walker Zimmerman (Joe Corona)                  37th minute
USA – Josh Sargent                                                   52
USA – Tim Weah (Antonee Robinson)                      59

Lineups:
USA: 22-Alex Bono; 15-Eric Lichaj (capt.) (2-Matt Olosunde, 74), 4-Walker Zimmerman, 14-Erik Palmer-Brown, 17-Antonee Robinson; 6-Weston McKennie; 11-Tim Weah (16-Julian Green, 61), 8-Joe Corona (25-Keaton Parks, 62), 10-Christian Pulisic (17-Jorge Villafaña, 89), 23-Rubio Rubin (20-Lynden Gooch, 73); 13-Josh Sargent (9-Andrija Novakovich, 61)

BOL: 23-Guillermo Vizcarra (1-Carlos Lampe, 46); 2-Carlos Añez, 3-Oscar Baldomar (22-Jose Sagredo, 32), 4-Luis Haquin, 6-Danny Bejarano. (8-Leandro Maygua, 79), 7-Luis Ali, 10-Fernando Saucedo, 16-Ronald Raldes (capt.), 17-Alexis Ribera (13-Rodrigo Rodriguez, 79), 18-Rodrigo Vargas (11-Bruno Miranda, 63), 20-Hector Ronaldo Sanchez (9-Leonardo Vaca, 66)
Subs: 5-Gustavo Olguin, 11-Bruno Miranda, 12-Jaime Cornejo, 14-Edson Perez, 15-Jose Vargas, 16-Julian Green, 19-Wilfredo Soleto, 21-Miguel Quiroga, 24-Rodrigo Borda, 25-Sergio Moruno

Stats Summary: USA / BOL
Shots: 22 / 4
Shots on Goal: 6 / 0
Saves: 0 / 3
Corner Kicks: 12 / 5
Fouls: 20 / 6
Offside: 2 / 1

Misconduct Summary:
BOL – Fernando Salcedo (caution)                49th minute

Officials:
Referee: Oshane Nation (JAM)

Budweiser Man of the Match: Walker Zimmerman