SAN PEDRO DEL PINATAR, Spain (March 22, 2019)—The U.S. Under-20 Men’s National Team scored a goal in stoppage time to secure a comeback draw with France at Pinatar Arena in the team’s first match of its final training camp ahead of the 2019 U-20 World Cup in Poland.
Facing a 2-0 deficit at the break, the USA roared back in the second half as Konrad de la Fuente netted a goal in his U-20 debut and Christian Cappis, scoring his first career U-20 goal, found the back of the net in the game’s final moments to draw the U.S. even.
The U-20 MNT faces Japan on Monday, March 24 at 7 a.m. ET in its final international match before their U-20 World Cup campaign begins on May 24.
The USA got off to a fast start with an aggressive high press that created a number of dangerous early opportunities. Justin Rennicks provided an early spark from the center forward spot, while de la Fuente and Sergino Dest combined well on the right wing.
While the U.S. held the better of the attack, France was quick to capitalize when it move up the field. In the 26th minute, France pounced on an opening in the U.S. press and sped up the field for the game’s first goal. Samboou Sissoko found Nabil Alioui, who slipped it past U.S. goalkeeper CJ Dos Santos to make it 1-0. Just before the half, a spell of possession found Alioui free on the wing, and he looped a shot to the far post to double the lead in the 45th.
The USA refused to go down without a fight and responded shortly after the break. The youngest player on the U-20 roster, de la Fuente broke through in the 48th minute. From of a nice exchange on the right side with Dest, de la Fuente wheeled past a defender and ripped a hard-rolling shot past another to the far post for the USA’s opening goal.
The teams went back-and-forth as the half went on, but the USA earned the equalizer after the end of regulation. In the second minute of stoppage time, Cappis knotted things up at 2-2. Jonathan Amon collected the ball outside the box on the left side and played it in to Aboubacar Keita. As a French defender slid in for a tackle, Keita was just able to cut the ball back inside, where a charging Cappis hit in stride for the tying goal. Both de la Fuente’s and Cappis’ goals were the first of their U-20 careers.
U.S. Under-20 Men’s National Team Match Report
Match: U.S. Under-20 MNT vs. France
Date: March 22, 2019
Competition: International Friendly
Venue: Pinatar Arena; San Pedro del Pinatar, Spain
Kick-off: 3 p.m. CET / 10 a.m. ET
Weather: 65 degrees, sunny
Scoring Summary: 1 2 F
USA 0 2 2
FRA 2 0 2
FRA – Nabil Alioui (Sambou Sissoko) 26th minute
FRA – Nabil Alioui (Bouba Soumare) 45
USA – Konrad de la Fuente (Sergino Dest) 48
USA – Christian Cappis (Aboubacar Keita) 90+2
Lineups:
USA: 1-CJ Dos Santos; 2-Sergino Dest (13-Jaylin Lindsey, 64), 4-Chris Richards, 5-Matthew Real (Aboubacar Keita, 46), 3-Chris Gloster, 6-Chris Durkin (14-Juan Pablo Torres, 64), 8-Alex Mendez (16-Christian Cappis, 86), 10-Frankie Amaya (20-Andrew Carleton, 46), 11-Konrad de la Fuente (18-Ulysses Llanez, 81), 9-Justin Rennicks (21-Sebastian Soto, 11), 7-Ayo Akinola (17-Jonathan Amon, 46)
Subs not used: 22-Trey Muse
Head Coach: Tab Ramos
FRA: 16-Didier Desprez; 12-Sambou Sissoko, 3-Mahamadou Dembele, 14-Thomas Basila, 15-Sikou Niakate, 6-Jean-Clair Todiboo (8-Michael Cuisance, 67), 18-Youssouf Fofana (capt.) (7-Moussa Diaby, 74), 10-Bouba Soumare (24-Imran Louza, 46), 17-Bryan M’Beumo (19-Isaac Matondo, 74), 11-Nabil Alioui, 23-Mounir Chouiar (9-Moussa Sylla, 86)
Subs not used: 1-Illan Meslier, 2-William Saliba, 5-Dan Zagadou, 4-Bouba Kamaara, 13-Nicolas Cozza, 20-Ibahima Diallo, 22-Enzo Loiodice
Head Coach: Bernard Diomede
Statistical Summary: USA / FRA
Shots: 10 / 9
Shots on Goal: 6/5
Saves: 3 / 4
Corner Kicks: 3 / 5
Fouls: 13 / 8
Offside: 2 / 4
Misconduct Summary:
USA – Alex Mendez (caution) 86th minute
Officials:
Referee: Juan Antonio Campos Salinas