The United States U17 Men’s Youth National Team has advanced to the Quarterfinals of the Concacaf U17 Championship. Team USA finished the group stage with a winning 3-0-0 record after facing Barbados on Feb. 11, Trinidad and Tobago on Feb. 13, and Canada on Feb. 15, earning the top seed in Group F with nine total points. They then advanced through the Round of 16 by beating the Dominican Republic on Feb. 18.
Earthquakes midfielder Cruz Medina has been a standout after scoring a hat trick in the team’s 5-0 win over Barbados. The team continued their streak defeating Trinidad and Tobago 3-1, Canada 1-0, and the Dominican Republic 7-0, only allowing one goal in their four matches.
Medina’s impressive performance has earned him a spot in the tournament’s Group Stage Best XI. Quakes Academy players Edwyn Mendoza and Oscar Verhoeven have played an impactful 202 and 241 minutes, respectively.
The United States will next face host team Guatemala in the Quarterfinal Round on Tuesday, Feb. 21 (5pm PT; FOX Soccer Plus). The winner will advance to the Semifinals with the four semifinalists qualifying for the FIFA U17 World Cup.
