TAMPA (Sunday, February 13, 2004) - The U.S. Under-17 ’88 Men’s National Team fell to D.C. United 3-2 in the first game of a doubleheader this evening in the inaugural Tom Fitzgerald Memorial Soccer Festival at Pepin Stadium on the campus of the University of Tampa.

The U.S. fell behind early as U-17 Residency alum Santino Quaranta scored in the ninth minute, but Amaechi Igwe pulled the U.S. even seven minutes later when Eric Lichaj’s long ball freed the midfielder behind the United defense and he finished past Troy Perkins.

D.C. United regained the lead three minutes before halftime as Ben Olsen fed Eliseo Quintanilla for an easy finish. The reigning MLS champions then doubled their lead five minutes into the second half as Olsen once again provided the assist, this time knocking in a cross off short corner-kick for Allen Handy to head home.

In the final minute of play, Quavas Kirk was able to pull one back for the U.S. when he converted a penalty kick, but the U.S. was ran out of time to find an equalizer.

U.S. Under-17 Men's National Team Game Report

Participants:     U.S. Under-17 ‘88s Men’s National Team vs. D.C. United
Competition:     Friendly
Location:    Tampa, Fla.
Date:    Feb. 13, 2005
Weather:    Warm, 70 degrees

Scoring Summary: 
               1st    2nd    Final
USA        1       1         2
DCU        2       1         3

DCU – Santino Quaranta (Nick Van Sicklen)    9th minute
USA – Amaechi Igwe (Eric Lichaj)                     16th
DCU – Eliseo Quintanilla (Ben Olsen)                42nd
DCU – Allen Handy (Ben Olsen)                         50th
USA – Quavas Kirk (penalty kick)                       90th                

Lineups
USA: 1-Bryant Rueckner; 3-Kevin Alston, 14-Amaechi Igwe (21-Neven Subotic, 62), 5-Ofori Sarkodie, 4-Eric Lichaj; 11-Ryan Soroka, 16-Nikolas Besagno (13-Blake Wagner, 77), 8-Kyle Nakazawa, 6-Quavas Kirk; 10-David Arvizu (33-Omar Gonzalez, 81), 9-Preston Zimmerman.

DCU: 1-Troy Perkins; 3-Tim Merritt, 29-Allen Handy, 32-Bobby Boswell; 6-Nick Van Sicklin (2-David Stokes, 71), 8-Shawn Kuykendall (9-Freddy Adu, 71), 14-Ben Olsen (27-Tim Lawson, 62), 15-Deroux, 20-Eliseo Quintanilla (24-Nana Kuffour, 46); 22-Thompson (19-Matt Nickell, 46), 25-Santino Quaranta (23-Zeferino Soares, 62). 

Statistical Summary:
                              USA    DCU
Shots                       4         16
Shots on goal         7         1
Saves                      3         6
Fouls                       9         16
Corner Kicks          7         3
Offside                    1         3        

Misconduct Summary:
DCU – Eliseo Quintanilla (caution)          16th minute
DCU – Shawn Kuykendall (caution)        40th
DCU – Zeferino Soares (caution)            87th 

Officials:
Referee: Ben Olson
1st Assistant: Steve Taylor
2nd Assistant: Paul Scott