MLS Homegrown players fuel U.S. U-17 MNT in 3-1 win over Russia

PRAGUE (Via U.S. Soccer) – The U.S. Under-17 Men’s National Team took down Russia 3-1 in its second group stage match at the International Youth Tournament of Vaclav Jezek. MLS Homegrown players Chris Goslin (Atlanta United FC) and James Sands (New York City FC) scored the first two goals for the USA and Ulysses Llanez (LA Galaxy) added a goal late to close out the scoring.

Goslin knocked in a scissor kick from the top of the box in the 24th minute to give the U.S. the lead. In the 37th, Sands, who captained the U-17s on the day, headed in a corner kick from Alex Mendez (LA Galaxy) for a 2-0 halftime lead. Russia got on the board late due to an own goal from the USA, but the red white and blue extended its lead back to two goals with an 88th minute score from Llanez, who slotted one into the corner from the top of the box. Last year, the U-18 USMNT also defeated Russia at this tournament with a 5-3 victory.

The U.S. will play its final Group B match on Friday against Japan at 11 a.m. ET. After an undefeated run to the tournament title last year for the U-18’s, the U-17’s are looking to repeat the feat in their final international tournament before October’s FIFA U-17 World Cup in India. After the last round of group stage matches, the eight competing teams will be positioned into classification matches to determine final placement.

– U.S. Under-17 Men’s National Team Match Report –

Match: United States U-17 Men’s National Team vs. Russia
Date: August 23, 2017
Competition:  24th International Youth Tournament of Vaclav Jezek
Venue: Brozany nad Ohří; Prague
Kickoff: 11:00 a.m. ET
Weather: 65 degrees

Scoring Summary:      1          2          F                                             

Russia                 0          1          1
USA                               2          1          3

Goals:
USA     #18- Christopher Goslin (Booth)              24th minute
USA     #14- James Sands (Mendez)                    37
RUS     Own Goal (Asensio)                                          86
USA     #23- Ulysses Llanez (Pereira)                           88

Lineups:
USA: 12- Carlos Joaquim Dos Santos; 24- Indiana Vassilev (2- Jaylin Lindsey, 72’), 15- Charlie Asensio, 14- James Sands (Captain) (6- Christopher Durkin, 46’), 13- Akil Watts; 16- Taylor Booth, 18- Christopher Goslin (10- George Acosta, 65’), 20- Alex Mendez; 23- Ulysses Llanez, 19- Alejandro Pereira, 17- Jacobo Reyes
Subs Not Used: 1- Justin Garces, 3- Christopher Gloster, 4- Tyler Shaver, 5- Arturo Vasquez, 7- Timothy Weah, 8- Blaine Ferri, 9- Joshua Sargent, 11- Andrew Carleton
Head Coach: John Hackworth

Russia: 12- Artem Delinian; 5- Maksim Sazonov, 16- Ilia Skrobotov, 3- Ilis Kalachev, 7- Sviatoslav Tses; 6- Nail Umiarov (Captain) (18- Nikita Khlusov, 56’), 8- Georgy Chelidze, 20- Mikhail Ignatov (9- Danil Prutsev, 69’); 14- Vitalii Zhironkin, 13- Dmitrii Molchanov (11- Danila Proshliakov, 71’), 19- Stanislav Krokhin (10- Kirill Kolesnichenko, 77’)
Subs Not Used: 1- Nikolai Zirikov; 2- Rail Abdulin, 4- Aleksandr Mikhailov, 5- Maksim Sazonov, 17- Vladislav Karapuzov
Head Coach: Andrey Gordeev 

Stats: RUS / USA
Shots: 14/16
SOG: 6/7
Fouls: 8/14
Corners: 4/2
Offsides: 4/0

Misconduct Summary:
USA     #10- George Acosta    70th minute

Officials:
Referee: Pael Franek
Assistant Referee: Petr Vit
Assistant Referee: Michal Novak

Note: Match was 90 minutes on natural grass.