U-20 MNT Squares Off with Guatemala in 2015 CONCACAF Championship Opener

2015 CONCACAF U-20 Championship
U-20 Men’s National Team vs. Guatemala
Kingston, Jamaica
Jan. 9, 2015

U-20 MNT OPENS 2015 CONCACAF CHAMPIONSHIP VS. GUATEMALA – The U.S. Under-20 Men’s National Team begins the 2015 CONCACAF U-20 Championship with its first Group A game against Guatemala on Friday, Jan. 9. The match kicks off at Independence Park in Kingston, Jamaica, at 5:30 p.m. ET. The tournament will qualify four teams to the FIFA U-20 World Cup in New Zealand.

In addition to facing Guatemala, the USA will also play Panama (Jan. 11), Aruba (Jan. 14), Jamaica (Jan. 18) and Trinidad & Tobago (Jan. 21) in Group A competition. All five of the USA’s matches will be broadcast on Fox Sports 2, while the matches against Guatemala, Aruba and Jamaica will also air on Univision Deportes. Fans can also follow all the action on twitter at @ussoccer_ynt.

• 2015 CONCACAF U-20 Championship on ussoccer.com

2015 CONCACAF U-20 Championship Group A Standings

Qualifying Format Change: The CONCACAF U-20 Championship format has changed for 2015 with two groups of six teams. Previous tournaments had featured four groups of three teams. Under the new setup, the first-place teams in Group A and Group B will automatically qualify for the 2015 FIFA U-20 World Cup and advance to face each other in the CONCACAF U-20 Championship Final. The second- and third-place teams in each group (four teams) will be reseeded based on group-stage results. In this playoff stage, the top seed will play the No. 4 seed and the second seed will face the No. 3 seed. The two winners from these respective games will also qualify for the 2015 FIFA U-20 World Cup.

U.S. U-20 MNT Roster by Position:
GOALKEEPERS (2): Ethan Horvath (Molde FK), Zack Steffen (SC Freiburg)
DEFENDERS (6): Cameron Carter-Vickers (Tottenham Hotspur), Conor Donovan (N.C. State), Matt Miazga (New York Red Bulls), Shaquell Moore (Unattached), John Requejo (Club Tijuana), Tyler Turner (Orlando City)
MIDFIELDERS (7): Kellyn Acosta (FC Dallas), Fernando Arce (Club Tijuana), Russell Canouse (TSG 1899 Hoffenheim), Junior Flores (Borussia Dortmund), Romain Gall (Columbus Crew), Lynden Gooch (Sunderland), Emerson Hyndman (Fulham)
FORWARDS (5): Paul Arriola (Club Tijuana), Bradford Jamieson IV (LA Galaxy), Amando Moreno (Club Tijuana), Ben Spencer (Molde FK), Tommy Thompson (San Jose Earthquakes) 

USA ROSTER BREAKDOWN:
On Jan. 2, U-20 MNT head coach Tab Ramos named a 20-player roster for the 2015 CONCACAF U-20 Championship. The roster includes two members of the USA’s 2013 FIFA U-20 World Cup team in midfielder Kellyn Acosta and goalkeeper Zack Steffen. Ramos has named Acosta the team captain during the qualifying tournament.

Six players represent clubs in Major League Soccer: defenders Matt Miazga and Tyler Turner, midfielders Acosta and Romain Gall, and forwards Bradford Jamieson IV and Tommy Thompson. Four players are teammates on Liga MX side Club Tijuana: forwards Paul Arriola and Amando Moreno, midfielder Fernando Arce and defender John Requejo.

EYES ON NEW ZEALAND 2015: The U.S. has qualified for 13 FIFA World Youth Championships/FIFA U-20 World Cups and has its sights set on No. 14 in 2015. The 2015 FIFA U-20 World Cup in New Zealand is being held from May 30-June 20 in Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, Hamilton, New Plymouth, Wellington and Whangarei. The final draw will be held on Feb. 10. The USA’s best World Cup finish was a fourth-place performance at the 1989 FIFA World Youth Championship.

USA VS. GUATEMALA HISTORY:

• The USA is 7-2-1 in the all-time series against Guatemala in U-20 qualifying.
• The USA first faced Guatemala in the second CONCACAF Youth Tournament on April 6, 1964, dropping a 3-1 decision in Guatemala.
• The U.S. earned its first qualifying victory against Guatemala in the opener of the fifth CONCACAF Youth Tournament, winning 2-1 on Aug. 18, 1974, in Canada.
• The USA won the third-place match against Guatemala in the sixth CONCACAF Youth Tournament in 1976. Rick Davis scored the USA’s lone goal for a 1-0 win in Puerto Rico.
• In 1982, the USA faced Guatemala twice in the ninth CONCACAF Youth Tournament in Guatemala City. In the opening round, Hugo Perez scored two goals and Dale Ervine added another for a 3-1 win on Aug. 22, 1982. In the tournament’s second round, John Isikli, Tab Ramos and Chance Fry each scored a goal during a 3-1 overtime win on Sept. 1, 1982, to advance to the tournament final. The USA would finish runner-up to Honduras.
• Steve Snow scored a goal during the USA’s 1-0 win against Guatemala during the 12th CONCACAF Youth Tournament on April 17, 1988.
• The USA’s most lopsided victory against Guatemala came in the Group B opener of the 18th CONCACAF Youth Championship. The USA earned a 5-0 victory on March 18, 2001, in Tunapuna, Trinidad. Bobby Convey scored two goals, while DaMarcus Beasley, Conor Casey and Brad Davis each contributed a goal.
• The U.S. most recently faced Guatemala in the 24th edition of the tournament, dropping the quarterfinal match 2-1 on April 6, 2011, in Guatemala City. Conor Doyle had the lone goal for the USA.
• Among other meetings, the USA and Guatemala played to a scoreless draw on Jan. 19, 2007, in Panama City. The USA also earned a 4-1 win against Guatemala in the 13th CONCACAF Youth Tournament on May 5, 1990.

2014 U.S. U-20 MNT RESULTS

International record: 6-1-2; overall: 12-2-2