Injury-time equalizer earns U.S. a point in Under-20 World Cup group play
After a goalkeeping blunder by Jonathan Klinsmann, teammate Luca de la Torre scored an injury-time goal Monday to give the United States a 3-3 draw against Ecuador at the Under-20 World Cup.
The Americans conceded two early goals but managed to get back into the Group F match with a pair of strikes from Josh Sargent. But the mistake by Klinsmann, the son of former Germany great Jurgen Klinsmann, put Ecuador back in front in the 64th minute.
Klinsmann attempted to dribble the ball out of trouble from in front of his own net, but he got tangled up by a pair of opponents and then kicked the ball straight to Ecuador midfielder Bryan Cabezas, who scored.
De la Torre netted the equalizer in the fourth minute of injury time in the South Korean coastal city of Incheon. The Fulham midfielder scored with a low shot after the Ecuador defense failed to clear a cross from the right.
Herlin Lino scored the first goal for Ecuador in the fifth minute, and Cabezas got the second in the seventh. But Sargent scored his first goal in the 36th off a pass from De la Torre. In the second half, Sargent headed in his second after a cross from Brooks Lennon.
The Americans next face Senegal on Thursday, and Ecuador will take on Saudi Arabia.
Senegal leads the group after a 2-0 win over Saudi Arabia. Ibrahima Niane and Ousseynou Diagne scored a goal each.
In Group E, France defeated Honduras 3-0 in Cheonan.
Paris Saint-Germain striker Jean-Kevin Augustin put France in the lead with a long-range free kick in the 15th minute, and Amine Harit added the second just before halftime. Martin Terrier scored the final goal in the 81st.
In the other group match, Vietnam and New Zealand drew 0-0.
Sixteen of the 24 teams advance to the second round — the top two from each of the six groups and the four best third-place finishers. The final is scheduled for June 11 in Suwon.
