Julian Green strike sees U.S. U-23 MNT past Qatar 1-0 in Toulon Tournament
AUBAGNE, France (Via U.S. Soccer) –The U.S. Under-23 Men’s National Team defeated Qatar in its fourth game of the 2015 Toulon Tournament, 1-0.
For the first time in the tournament, the U.S. scored first going 1-0 up in the opening 10 minutes when Julian Green blasted home a volley from an Alonso Hernandez cross.
The U.S. pressured on the attack for the rest of the game, hoping to gain goal-differential ground on competitors Netherlands and Costa Rica in Group A. Despite a number of second-half opportunities spurred by halftime subs Jordan Morris and Jerome Kiesewetter, Green’s goal ultimately stood as the lone score of the game.
The win preserved the U.S.’s hopes of advancing to a placement game on June 7, but the team’s fate will be in the hands of France, which defeated Costa Rica 2-1 in the day’s late game and now must beat the Netherlands by a three-goal margin on June 4 in order for the U.S. to advance.
Goal Scoring Rundown:
USA- Julian Green (Alonso Hernandez), 8th minute: Alonso Hernandez stepped in front of an errant Qatar pass on the U.S. side of the field, sidestepped a defender and turned on the jets, sprinting down the sideline across midfield on the right. As he neared the end line Hernandez drove a cross into the center of the box that Julian Green one-timed into the back of the net on a stellar volley. USA 1, QAT 0 (FINAL)
Additional Notes:
- Julian Green’s goal was his first his first with the U-23 MNT and his first in a USA uniform since his goal with the senior team against Belgium in the 2014 FIFA World Cup. He also tallied his first assist in U.S. colors in this tournament in the game against Netherlands.
- The match was the first between the U.S. and Qatar at the U-23 age level.
- For the first time this year, Shane O’Neill was not in the USA’s starting lineup.
- Sam Strong made his first start with the U-23’s, but left the game at halftime with a head injury.
- Tyler Miller made his first career start for the U-23 MNT, earning his first shutout in the process by making two saves against Qatar.
– U.S. U-23 Men’s National Team Match Report –
Match: U.S. U-23 Men’s National Team vs. Qatar
Date: June 2, 2015
Competition: 2015 Toulon Tournament
Kickoff: 10 a.m. ET (5 p.m. local)
Attendance: 680
Weather: 80 degrees; Sunny
Scoring Summary: 1 2 F
USA 1 0 1
QAT 0 0 0
USA – Julian Green (Alonso Hernandez) 8th minute
Lineups:
USA: 22-Tyler Miller; 3-Boyd Okwuonu, 5-William Packwood, 6-Sam Strong (13-Fatai Alashe, 46), 2-Juan Pablo Ocegueda (7-Dillon Serna, 20); 14-Daniel Metzger, 8-Benji Joya, 10-Marc Pelosi, 15-Alfred Koroma Shams (9-Jordan Morris, 46); 16-Julian Green (17-Jerome Kiesewetter, 46) 11-Alonso Hernandez
Subs Not Used: 1-Cody Cropper, 4-Shane O’Neill, 12-Charlie Horton ,18-Jalen Robinson, 20-Tyler Turner
Head Coach: Andreas Herzog
QAT: 1-Sateh A. Al-Abbasi; 17-Mohaammed Alaaeldin, 2-Khidir Musaab, 6-Ali Bazmandegan, 15-Ali Alob; 11-Ahmed Fadhil (3-Huthaifa Ali Al-Salemi, 15), 8- Ahmed Fathy Abdoulla(16- Ali Awad Bujaloof, 73), 4-Mohammed Al-Saeed, 7-Ahmed Alaaeldin; 9-Othaman Alawi Alyhari (13-Yousuf Alkubaisi-62), 14-Nasser Al-Khalfan (10-Saleh Yazidi, 75)
Subs Not Used: 5-Abdulaziz Abdulla Shareef, 12-Abdulrahan Al Haziri, 18-Shaheen Al Kuwari, 19-Ali Ahmad Ghaderi, 20-Abdulrahman Alkorbi
Head Coach: Fahad Abdulla Al-Zarraa
Stats Summary: USA / QAT
Shots: 9 / 3
Shots on Goal: 4 / 2
Saves: 2 / 3
Corner Kicks: 5 / 2
Fouls: 9 / 8
Offside: 1 / 0
Misconduct Summary:
QAT – Ali Alob (caution) 21st minute
USA – Marc Pelosi (caution) 40
USA – Benji Joya (caution) 68
QAT – Ahmend Fathy Abdoulla 73
Officials:
Referee: Fabio Verissimo (POR)
Assistant Referee: Paulo Santos Soares and Pedro Mota (POR)
Assistant Referee 2: Oscar Macias Romo (MEX
ussocer.com Man of the Match: Julian Green
