Michael Nsien’s young Yanks narrowly won their toughest, and most crucial game so far of the CONCACAF U20 Championship, holding off Guatemala’s late charge on Tuesday night to qualify for the 2025 World Cup in Chile.
USA 1 – 0 Guatemala
While the Americans were justifiably heavy favorites heading into the game, a number of factors made it a much closer than expected contest, with only a pair of plays eventually separating the two teams. Nsien could be considered at least partially at fault for making it harder than necessary for his team, as his initial starting XI as well as his choice of substitutes seemed to play more to the team’s fatigue from the compressed schedule, rather than to their inherent strengths.
Nsien returned to the exact same back four as the team’s 9-0 thrashing of Jamaica in the group opener, flanking the center backs Nolan Norris and Noah Cobb with left back Luca Bombino and Aiden Harangi. Norris was making his fourth straight start of the tournament, a likely necessity for the captain while Cobb and Harangi also both started in the previous game.
Nikolas Tsakiris, making his third straight start the tournament, was moved up top alongside Marcos Zambrano and Ruben Ramos, with Brooklyn Raines, Taha Habroune and Pedro Soma forming the midfield three.
All in all, the opening formation bore similarities to the lineup trotted out against Jamaica, however either due to 270 minutes of tired legs, or a tactical miscalculation against the higher-quality Guatemalan opposition, the impact was significantly less, particularly in a first half that had few high points for either side.
Highlights of the game can be seen here.
Keeper Adam Beaudry did make a quick grab under pressure shortly before the two-minute mark to scuttle a moment of minor danger when the ball was coughed up just inside the area with several Guatemalan players lurking, although his true heroic moment was still yet to come.
Ramos took an aggressive crack at goal amidst some chaos at the top edge of the area in the 17th minute, only to see his shot blocked by the defense before it troubled the keeper.
Perhaps sensing the heavy legs during the opening half, Nsien already used two of his substitutes at the half, bringing in Liverpool youth player Keyrol Figueroa to take the place of Zambrano atop the attack, and Sergio Oregel Jr. in place of Raines in the midfield, who had picked up a yellow before the break.
While it could be argued that at least the insertion of Figueroa could have been a useful measure from the opening whistle to save Zambrano for a late push, a goal from Ramos in the 49th minute at least momentarily papered over any doubts.
Oregel Jr. spotted Ramos all alone just outside the area on the left side, and launched a cross from the right side towards his teammate. Ramos chested the ball down to his foot, took a touch to create an opening, and looped his shot to the upper right corner, out of keeper Fausto Delgado’s reach for the opener.
The US attempted to add to the lead shortly before the hour, but Soma’s breakaway shot was blocked by Delgado for a corner, then on a corner moments later, Delgado made a double save on attempts from Ramos and Figueroa.
With the clock winding down and the Guatemalan players pushing for an equalizer, they were gifted one final chance after substitute Nimfasha Berchimas collided with Rudy Muñoz in the right side of the area, setting up a critical penalty attempt.
However, Beaudry earned an extra orange slide as a post-game reward, diving to his right to block Olger Escobar’s low attempt, securing the eventual result, which came after an additional five minutes of added time.
Overall, very little separated the two teams, aside from the spectacular strike from Ramos and timely penalty stop from Beaudry. The Americans were outshot by a 12-8 margin, but did hold the edge in overall control of game flow. However, in any long tournament run, the unconvincing wins are just as important as sweeping blow-outs.
With the first goal – World Cup qualification – fulfilled, Nsien and his team will turn their sights towards the next of winning the tournament. They will face Panama in the semifinal on Friday, in a game where fatigue might be as formidable of an opponent as the already tough 11 players on the other side of the ball.
