USA Looks to Bounce Back Against Nigeria at U-20 World Cup

U-20 MNT AIMS TO GET BACK ON TRACK: The U.S. U-20 MNT will continue its FIFA U-20 World Cup campaign against Nigeria on Monday, May 27 (2:30 p.m. ET; FS1, Universo). After a disappointing 2-1 loss to Ukraine in the World Cup opener, the USA will take on the Flying Eagles looking for three points. Nigeria got off to a soaring start in Poland, downing Qatar 4-0 in the teams’ opening match.

The top two teams in each of the six U-20 World Cup groups advance to the Round of 16, plus the four best-ranked third-placed teams. Monday’s match will be broadcast on FS1 and Universo. Follow the U-20 MNT throughout the tournament on ussoccer.com, Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

U-20 WORLD CUP DIGITAL MEDIA GUIDE: For more on the U-20 MNT at the U-20 WC, check out the digital media guide for complete info on players, stats, results from the full 2018-19 cycle, team history and everything else about the squad set to take on the world in Poland.

 

USA GROUP D SCHEDULE

Date	Match	Kickoff (ET)/Result	Broadcast	Venue
May 24	USA vs. Ukraine	L 1-2	FS1, Universo	Bielsko-Biala Stadium; Bielsko-Biala
May 27	USA vs. Nigeria	2:30 p.m.	FS1, Universo	Bielsko-Biala Stadium; Bielsko-Biala
May 30	USA vs. Qatar	2:30 p.m.	FS1, Universo	Tychy Stadium; Tychy

 

WATCH THE FIFA U-20 WORLD CUP: All of the USA’s matches at the U-20 World Cup will be broadcast in English on Fox Sports platforms. The first two games will be broadcast live on FS1, while the third game will be broadcast live on FS2. Matches are also available to stream on the Fox Sports App. The full Fox broadcast schedule can be found here.

The USA’s matches will be broadcast in Spanish on Telemundo platforms. All three group stage matches will be available on Universo and streamed live on the Telemundo Deportes app.

 

USA VS. NIGERIA

• Monday’s match marks the USA’s second meeting all-time against Nigeria at this tournament.
• The Flying Eagles eliminated the U.S. from its deepest run at the U-20 World Cup, defeating the Americans 2-1 in extra time during the semifinals of the 1989 FIFA World Youth Championship in Saudi Arabia.
• Nigeria is making its 12th appearance at the FIFA U-20 World Cup. It has advanced past the group stage in its last six appearances at the tournament.
• Nigeria has taken second place at the U-20 World Cup twice, in 1989 after defeating the USA and in 2005.
• Defender Ikouwem Udo debuted for Nigeria’s senior national team in March during a friendly against Egypt.
• Midfielder Kingsley Michael helped Nigeria take home the 2015 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Chile.
• The Nigeria roster features 10 players born in 1999, seven born in 2000, three born in 2001 and one born in 2002. Defender Zulkifilu Rabiu is one of just nine players born in 2002 in the entire tournament.
• Twelve players compete domestically in Nigeria. The most (3) come from Enyimba, one of the country’s most successful clubs.
• Nine players are on the books at foreign clubs in England (three), Italy (two), Norway (two), Czech Republic and Sweden (one each).

 

GROUP D STANDINGS AND RESULTS

	W	L	D	Pts.	GD
Nigeria	1	0	0	3	4
Ukraine	1	0	0	3	1
USA	0	1	0	0	-1
Qatar	0	1	0	0	-4

 

DEALT A DIFFICULT DEFEAT BY UKRAINE: The USA dropped a hard-fought 2-1 loss to Ukraine in its U-20 World Cup opener. While the U.S. dominated possession and completed nearly twice as many passes as Ukraine, the Yellow-Blue struck first on a long ball over the top. The young Americans responded valiantly just six minutes later with some beautiful combination play to work the ball across the field to forward Tim Weah, who sent a cross into the six-yard box for Brandon Servania, who hammered it home. Ukraine found the eventual game-winner on a header off of a corner kick in the 51st minute, and while the USA searched for an equalizer down the stretch the well-organized Ukraine defense held strong against any potential chances.

SOARING START FOR FLYING EAGLES: Nigeria got off to a fast start in Poland with a rousing 4-0 victory against Qatar. The Flying Eagles tallied two goals in the first 25 minutes of play as defender Ikouwem Udo set up Maxwell Effiom and Okechukwa Offia to break the game open.

Manchester City midfielder Tom Dele-Bashiru added a third goal in the 68th, while defender Aliu Salawudeen put an exclamation point on the affair with the game’s fourth goal in the 74th. Nigeria dominated on the attack, outshooting Qatar 20-7.

 

2019 FIFA U-20 World Cup Roster by Position (Club; Hometown; U-20 Caps/Goals)

GOALKEEPERS (3): CJ Dos Santos (Benfica/POR; Foxchase, Pa.; 2/0), David Ochoa (Real Salt Lake; Oxnard, Calif.; 4/0), Brady Scott (Köln/GER; Petaluma, Calif.; 10/0)

DEFENDERS (6): Julian Araujo (LA Galaxy; Lompoc, Calif.; 2/0), Sergino Dest (Ajax/NED; Almere-Stad, Netherlands; 9/1), Chris Gloster (Hannover 96/GER; Montclair, N.J.; 12/0), Aboubacar Keita (Columbus Crew SC; Columbus, Ohio; 3/0), Mark McKenzie (Philadelphia Union; Bear, Del.; 10/3), Matthew Real (Philadelphia Union; Drexel Hill, Pa.; 11/0), Chris Richards (Bayern Munich/GER; Birmingham, Ala.; 9/0)

MIDFIELDERS (6): Edwin Cerrillo (FC Dallas; Frisco, Texas; 0/0), Chris Durkin (D.C. United; Glen Allen, Va.; 3/0), Richard Ledezma (PSV Eindhoven/NED; Phoenix, Ariz.; 4/0), Alex Mendez (Freiburg/GER; Los Angeles, Calif.; 16/8), Paxton Pomykal (FC Dallas; Highland Village, Texas; 10/3), Brandon Servania (FC Dallas; Dallas, Texas; 9/3)

FORWARDS (5): Konrad De La Fuente (Barcelona/ESP; Miami, Fla.; 3/1), Ulysses Llanez (Wolfsburg/GER; Lynwood, Calif.; 11/7), Justin Rennicks (New England Revolution; South Hamilton, Mass.; 14/6), Sebastian Soto (Hannover 96/GER; San Diego, Calif.; 6/2), Tim Weah (Paris Saint-Germain/FRA; Rosedale, N.Y.; 1/0)

 

NIGERIA – 2019 FIFA U-20 WORLD CUP ROSTER BY POSITION (CLUB)

GOALKEEPERS (3): 1-Detan Ogundare (Kogi United), 16-Olawale Oremade (Oasis FC), 21-Jonathan Zaccala (Triestina/ITA)

DEFENDERS (6): 15-Jamil Muhammad (Kano Pillars), 12-Igoh Ogbu (Rosenborg/NOR), 6-Valentine Ozornwafor (Enyimba), 2-Zulkifilu Rabiu (Plateau United), 5-Aliu Salawudeen (Emmanuel Amuneke Academy), 3-Ikouwem Udo (Enyimba)

MIDFIELDERS (8): 8-Tom Dele-Bashiru (Manchester City), 19-Maxwell Effiom (Enyimba), 4-Peter Eletu (Prince Kazeem FC), 17-Success Makanjuola (Water FC), 14-Kingsley Michael (Perugia/ITA), 13-Nathan Ofoborh (Bournemouth/ENG), 10-Aniekeme Okon (Akwa United), 7-Yira Sor (36 Lion Soccer Academy)

FORWARDS (4): 9-Akor Adams (Sogndal/NOR), 18-Chinoso Emeka (Brook House FC/ENG), 11-Okechukwu Offia (Sirius/SWE), 20-Muhamed Tijani (Banik Ostrava/CZE)

HOW THEY GOT HERE:

• Nigeria qualified for the U-20 World Cup as one of four semifinalists at the 2019 Africa U-20 Cup of Nations in Niger.
• The Flying Eagles entered in the second of three qualification rounds for the continental championship. Nigeria took down Guinea-Bissau 3-2 on aggregate after a two-legged home and away tie. A 6-1 aggregate win over Mauritania earned Nigeria one of eight berths to the Cup of Nations.
• Nigeria topped Group A at the 2019 Africa U-20 Cup of Nations, defeating Burundi 2-0, battling South Africa to a scoreless draw and eking out a 1-0 win over Niger.
• In the semifinals, Nigeria fell to Mali 3-4 in penalty kicks. The Flying Eagles scored in the 86th minute to force extra time but weren’t able to find a game-winner.
• In the third-place match, Nigeria once again played South Africa to a scoreless draw, falling 3-5 in the ensuing penalty kick shootout.
  
  

TOURNAMENT GROUP STANDINGS