U-17 World Cup Qualifying
Late Strike Forces U-17s to Delay World Cup Plans
Richie Williams' under-17 U.S. men's national team were minutes away from punching its ticket to the 2015 World Cup in Chile, but a late equalizer will force the team to continue in its quest.
BY
Brian Sciaretta
Posted
March 09, 2015
1:43 PM
THE UNITED STATES U-17 NATIONAL TEAM was two minutes from securing a berth in this summer’s World Cup in Chile but conceded a late equalizer to tournament hosts Honduras and must now earn a result against Jamaica on Wednesday to clinch a spot.
Two years ago Honduras eliminated the U.S. U-17 team from the World Cup during qualifying, and last night proved it was still a thorn in the team's side. Despite the disappointing result in San Pedro Sula, the Yanks remain in the driver’s seat.
“We’re happy with a draw,” U.S. coach Richie Williams said. “It still keeps us in first place in the group, and we move forward. Like we said from the beginning, it’s one game at a time. We’ll play a very good Jamaica team on Wednesday, hopefully get a positive result and move on.”
The United States competed without its main playmaker, Christian Pulisic, who suffered a knock to his left knee in the first half of Thursday’s 4-1 win over Guatemala. Pulisic was listed as an option off the bench but Williams decided not to use him. Fulham’s Luca de la Torre took Pulisic’s place in the No. 10 role.
The game began poorly for the United States as Honduras took the lead in the 16th minute when Victor Matamoros blasted a beautiful shot from the right side of the box that beat U.S. goalkeeper Will Pulisiic.
Despite falling behind and a boisterous home crowd, the U.S. team eventually began to assert itself. In the 23rd minute the Yanks drew level when winger Josh Perez cut in from the left side and fired a low cross that found de la Torre just in front of the goal. The Fulham product hit a nifty backheel chip over Honduran keeper Michael Perello to even the score at 1-1.
In the 32nd minute, Perez gave the U.S. a 2-1 lead when Haji Wright delivered a harmless-looking ball into the box that the Honduran defense couldn't manage to clear. The ball rolled to an unguarded Perez who fired a blistering shot into the top of the goal. Perez, nephew of former U.S. national team great Hugo Perez, now has four goals in the tournament.
Though the U.S. went into intermission with all of the momentum, Honduras began to assert itself after the break. And after de la Torre was substituted out of the game in the 67th minute, it was one-way traffic toward the U.S. goal. Overrun in the midfield, the Americans began to bunker and it seemed like only a matter of time before Honduras scored the equalizer.
Sure enough, Honduras' David Sanchez shouldered a long pass past Pulisic in the 88th minute, giving the home team a deserved draw and forcing the visitors to prepare for Jamaica with a greater sense of urgency. Here are some thoughts on the game.
March 09, 2015
1:43 PM