U.S. U-17 MNT shuts out Turkey 1-0 in Nike International Friendlies

LAKEWOOD RANCH, Fla. (Via U.S. Soccer) – A goal in first-half stoppage time proved decisive in a 1-0 win for the U.S. Under-17 Men’s National Team against Turkey at the 2018 Nike International Friendlies. Giovanni Reyna teed-up Ricardo Pepi for a long-range goal just before the half that served as the difference-maker.

Neither team was able to establish a rhythm for much of the first half. The USA created a dangerous chance from a corner kick in the opening minutes but wasn’t able to break through. Despite holding the better of possession, the USA struggled to turn it into goals.

Turkey threatened when in transition and from a number of free kicks in dangerous territory, but U.S. center back Mason Judge made a few key plays to keep the Crescent Stars off the board, snuffing out one threatening chance in the 28th and making a goal-line clearance in the 43 ^rd, while Peter Stroud shone in the midfield, doggedly defending and also distributing upfield.

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The USA broke through in the first minute of stoppage time when Reyna made a nice run through the center channel to spark the game’s lone goal. As two defenders closed in to sandwich him, the U.S. midfielder slipped the ball out to Pepi near the corner of the box. He pulled it back to create space and zipped a shot inside the right post, just past the outstretched ‘keeper.

A stop-and-start second half saw both teams struggle to build a flow. Things got more physical as they duked it out in the middle third of the field, and a number of cards were shown to Turkey after overzealous challenges.

Substitute forwards Cameron Dunbar and Griffin Yow provided attacking impetus on the wings for the USA, helping open things up with their speed, but the U.S. wasn’t able to grab a second tally. Turkey pushed hard in stoppage time for an equalizer, throwing numbers forward but the U.S. weathered the pressure well to emerge with three points.

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Goal Scoring Rundown
Ricardo Pepi (Giovanni Reyna), 45+1: Mason Judge played Giovanni Reyna on the run through the middle of the field, and as defenders came in to corral him, Reyna threaded the ball out to Ricardo Pepi near the top, right corner of the box. Pepi pulled it back from his marking defender to create space, then reared back to rip a low, 25-yard shot inside the right post, slipping it past the diving ‘keeper’s fingers. USA 1, TUR 0 [ WATCH ] FINAL

Key Defensive Stops
Mason Judge, 28th minute: On Turkey’s first dangerous spell of possession in the box, an attempted clearance popped high in the air, and the Crescent Stars pounced on it. Muhammed Emin Sarikaya ran it down the wing before working it inside to Muhammet Tunahan Tasci, who centered it to Muhammet Akpinar near the penalty spot. As he lined up to take a shot, Judge stifled the attempt with a tough tackle.

Mason Judge, 43rd minute: After a USA turnover, Turkey quickly transitioned to the attack, playing a long ball up the left wing. Polat Abay battled with his mark for the ball and spun to break past the tough one-on-one defending. U.S. goalkeeper Chituru Odunze came out to face the attacker, but he centered it to Muhammet Akpinar. Judge quickly covered the goal line and booted away Akpinar’s tap towards the net.

Up next, the USA plays Brazil in its final match of the 2018 Nike International Friendlies on Sunday, Dec. 2 at 5:30 p.m. ET, while Turkey faces Portugal at 2:30 p.m. The U.S. and Portugal sit at four points through two games, though Portugal tops the tournament table based on the goal-difference tiebreaker.

In the day’s first game at the Nike Friendlies, Portugal put on a finishing clinic against a Brazil side that was strong in possession but – thanks in part to great goaltending from Portugal’s Samuel Soares – couldn’t capitalize on its chances as Portugal won out 4-0.

After defending well against Brazil’s possession in the opening 10 minutes, Gerson Sousa broke through for Portugal in the 11th. Streaking down the left flank, he cut back at the end line past a defender and centered for the diminutive Fábio Silva, who one-timed his shot past Brazil goalkeeper Gabriel Roberto for the 1-0 lead. Portugal added to its advantage seven minutes later, when Goncalo Batalha headed in a corner to make it 2-0.

Nearly 20 minutes into the second half things looked much as they did in the first, except Brazil was sharper with its passes, carving out better chances but still unable to breach Portugal’s defense. The Europeans made them pay, as Sousa made a nice run through the midfield and slotted home across the face of goal to the right post, for a 3-0 Portugal lead.

Soares then made the stop of the game, an incredible kick save on Antonio Fialho, who was in free on goal to keep the clean sheet going for Portugal, which got a stunning, 84th-minute capper from Bruno Tavares, who beat three defenders while moving inside from the right wing to the top of the box before curling a spectacular effort inside the left post for the final 4-0 score line.

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

Match: U.S. U-17 Men’s National Team vs. Turkey
Date: November 30, 2018
Competition: 2018 Nike International Friendlies
Venue: Premier Sports Campus; Lakewood Ranch, Fla.
Attendance: TBD
Kickoff: 6:30 p.m. ET
Weather: 70 degrees; clear

Scoring Summary: 1 2 F
USA                          1 0 1
TUR                          0 0 0

USA – Ricardo Pepi (Giovanni Reyna)       45+1

Lineups:
USA: 12-Chituru Odunze, 2-Joe Scally, 3-Adam Armour, 5-Kobe Hernandez, 6-Tayvon Gray, 7-Andre Luiz Costa (11-Griffin Yow, 46), 10-Giovanni Reyna (capt.) (8-Adam Saldana, 78), 14-Mason Judge, 18-Peter Stroud, 19-Ricardo Pepi, 20-Daniel Robles (17-Cameron Dunbar, 58)
Substitutes not used: 1-Damian Las, 4-Axel Aleandre, 9-Alfonso Ocampo-Chavez, 16-William Reilly, 15-Sebastian Falsone
Head Coach: Shaun Tsakiris

TUR: 1-Arda Özçimen, 2-Muhammed Emin Sarikaya, 3-Çağtay Kurukalip (9-Salih Kavrrazli, 71), 5-Rahmi Asalih Kaya, 6-Halil İbrahim Sevinç (capt.), 7-Polat Abay, 8-Batin Özdemir (14-Hakan Yeşil, 71), 11-Muhammet Akpinar, 16-Ali Karakaya (10-Kaan Er, 83), 17-Gürkan Başkan (4-Mert Ahmet Akbulut, 71), 18-Muhammet Tunahan Taşçi (13-Arda Kaan Yidiz, 64)
Substitutes not used: 12-Eren Olmuş, 15-Orkun Tirpanci
Head coach: Turhan Sofuoğlu

Stats Summary: USA / TUR
Shots: 10 / 7
Shots on Goal: 2 / 2
Saves: 2 / 1
Corner Kicks: 6 / 3
Fouls: 16 / 24
Offside: 2 / 2

Misconduct Summary:
USA – Daniel Robles (caution)            25^th minute
TUR – Ali Karakaya (caution)              53
TUR – Batin Özdemir (caution)            62
TUR – Muhammet Akpinar (caution)   74
TUR – Polat Abay (caution)                 85

Officials:
Referee: Ceciah Valero (USA)
Assistant Referee 1: Matthew Rodman (USA)
Assistant Referee 2: Melissa Gonzalez (USA)
4th Official: Elijio Arreguin (USA)

ussoccer.com Man of the Match: TBD