Sporting KC

US eliminated in group stage of U17 World Cup

Published Nov. 2, 2019 10:12 p.m. ET

The United States failed to advance past the group stage at the Under-17 World Cup for the second time in three tournaments, losing to the Netherlands 4-0 on Saturday night at Goiania, Brazil.

Sontje Hansen scored in the 42nd and 51st minutes, and the Dutch got late goals from Mohamed Taabouni in the 70th and Jayden Braaf in the 86th.

The Americans finished with a draw, two losses and a minus-seven goal difference, their worst at the FIFA Under-17 event, topping their minus-five in 2001. The U.S. opened with a 4-1 loss to Senegal, then tied Japan 0-0. The U.S. would have advanced with a win over the Dutch in its Group D finale.

Gianluca Busio, who made his Major League Soccer debut for Sporting Kansas City in 2018, scored the Americans' only goal of the tournament. The roster included Gio Reyna, a son of former U.S. national team captain Claudio Reyna, and the team was coached by Raphael Wicky, who took over from John Hackworth.

After advancing to the knockout rounds five straight times from 2003-11, the U.S. failed to qualify for the 2013 tournament in the United Arab Emirates and was knocked out in the group stage of the 2015 event in Chile after losing twice and drawing once. The Americans advanced as a third-place nation two years ago in India, beat Paraguay in the round of 16 and lost 4-1 to eventual champion England in the quarterfinals.

Japan beat Senegal 1-0 in Cariacica and won the group with seven points, one more than Senegal. The Netherlands finished with three points and could advance depending on third-place nations in other groups.

Get more from Sporting KC Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more

in this topic