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. Â
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.
