U.S. under-20s makes progress in CONCACAF qualifying

United States under-20 national team is off and running in World Cup qualifying thanks to a big performance from Daniel Cuevas, currently property of Santos in Mexico’s Liga MX.

The United States got off to a good start result-wise – although perhaps not an outstanding one performance-wise – Monday night in Mexico. Cuevas and Real Salt Lake’s Luis Gil had a first half goal each as the Americans opened the 2013 CONCACAF U-20 Championship with a 2-1 victory against Haiti in Puebla, Mexico.

Four teams from the ongoing CONCACAF qualifying tournament in Mexico will advance to Turkey for the 2013 FIFA Under-20 World Cup.

Tab Ramos’ team had a 2-0 lead after 26 minutes, but the defense had its iffy moments and the United States was in “hang on” mode by the end as Haiti threatened to snatch a late equalizer.

What Ramos said: “It was a difficult match for us. We knew that Haiti had very good players. I think we did a good job in the first half, coming out strong and trying to put the game away. I felt that once we didn’t get that third goal before halftime that there was a good chance that if [Haiti] got a goal that somehow it would turn into a game, and it did.”

J.R. Eskilson from Top Drawer Soccer, a site dedicated to the elite youth and college elements of domestic soccer, didn’t grade many of the young American men very well.

He handed out middling “5s” to Gil and to the LA Galaxy’s Jose Villarreal, who were expected to lead the U.S. attack.

[on Gil] … The Real Salt Lake youngster scored the opener, but he should have had at least two other goals. Gil missed an open header in the opening stages of the game, and later shanked a shot from eight yards out. Either finish likely would’ve have been the contest to bed in the opening half.

[on Villarreal]  The LA Galaxy winger had a couple of decent services on set pieces, but did not have much from the run of play.

But he did have good things to say about Cuevas, who grew up in Sacramento.