U.S. Finishes Off Perfect Tournament

The U.S. under-20 soccer team, having already earned its place in the FIFA World Youth Championship in the Netherlands this summer, Sunday afternoon completed a qualifying sweep with a 2-0 victory over Costa Rica at the Home Depot Center.

The result, combined with Panama’s 3-1 victory over Trinidad and Tobago earlier in the day, was enough to send Panama through to the June 10-July 2 world championship along with the U.S.

Costa Rica needed to win, tie or lose by no more than one goal to advance, but a goal by UCLA’s Chad Barrett 1:23 into the match put the Ticos behind, and Danny Szetela’s goal off an Arturo Alvarez pass in the 37th minute sealed it for the Americans.

As he had been in earlier victories over Trinidad and Tobago (6-1) and Panama (2-0), UCLA defender Marvell Wynne, son of the former Major League Baseball player, was one reason why the U.S. ended up giving up only one goal in three matches while scoring 10.

“He was tremendous,” U.S. Coach Sigi Schmid said. “Marvell was definitely one of the finds of this tournament. His defending ability is outstanding, we knew that, but also with the ball he did very well, he came forward very well.

“He’s definitely a player to keep an eye on for the future.”

The 18-year-old sophomore from Poway joined the team only in November, a Schmid discovery, but immediately made the right back position his own.

“It feels awesome,” Wynne said. “We came here wanting to go to Holland and we accomplished that in the first two games. But being the first [U.S.] team to win [an under-20 qualifying tournament] and go undefeated is just amazing.”

Luck was not with Costa Rica, and especially not with midfielder Gherland McDonald, who in the space of eight second-half minutes and with the U.S. net at his mercy, managed to put one shot over the crossbar, another onto the right post and a third just wide right.

Panama had no such problems and got an early goal from Luis Gallardo to get itself going and two late goals from Alvaro Salazar before allowing Trinidad and Tobago’s Marcelle Francois to score and leave the Canaleros’ qualification in doubt until the U.S. helped out.