U.S. U-23 MNT to face Colombia home-and-away for spot in 2016 Olympics
CHICAGO (Via U.S. Soccer) – The U.S. Under-23 Men’s National Team will face off with Colombia in a home-and-away playoff in March of 2016 for the final berth in the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.
The U.S. earned its spot in the playoff after finishing third in the CONCACAF Men’s Olympic Qualifying Championship, while Colombia earned its place after finishing in second place in the 2015 South American Youth Championship.
+Read: U.S. U-17s sluggish, unsettled in World Cup-opening loss to Nigeria
The USA won four of its five games in the Qualifying tournament, going 3-0-0 in group play with wins against Canada, Cuba and Panama, before dropping its semifinal match against Honduras and then bouncing back to win the third-place game against Canada. U.S. striker Jerome Kiesewetter earned the Golden Boot in the tournament as the leading goal scorer.
The Olympic Football tournaments are directed by FIFA, which conducted a preliminary draw for the playoff in March. At that draw, it was determined that the Colombia would host the first leg of the playoff. The second leg will be hosted by the United States. Venues will be announced at a later date, as determined by each team. FIFA has stipulated that both matches must be completed before the end of March, 2016.
The U.S. hopes to return to the Olympics for the first time since 2008 in Beijing, when it posted a 1-1-1 record but did not advance from a group that included Gold medalists Nigeria. The USA’s best showing in the Olympics came during the 2000 Games in Sydney, when the team defeated Japan in the quarterfinals and finished fourth in the event.
SOCCERWIRE MARKETPLACE
- Dana Cup Hjørring 2025
- Join Official Elite Summer Soccer Camps with Europe’s Top Pro Clubs!
- Loudoun College Showcase 2025: Earlybird Registration is OPEN NOW
- GET SEEN AT OUR COLLEGE ID CAMP!
- Maryland United College Showcase Series 2025
- The St. James Winter Futsal Program
- Chelsea FC 3v3 Youth Winter Cup
- International Tryout in Spain
- ECNL Girls Goalkeepers Wanted!
- Adidas College Showcase 2024
College Recruiting Commitment Tracker
Featured Players
COLLEGE RECRUITING STARTS HERE
Join the SoccerWire College Soccer Recruiting Search Engine and learn how to be seen OVER 1 MILLION TIMES PER YEAR.
- Basic $99 – for life
- Featured $299 – for life
- Featured PLUS $399 – for life