USA seek World Cup revenge on U-20 Eagles

The United States of America (USA) U20 team will be on a vengeance mission when take on the Flying Eagles of Nigeria at the FIFA U20 World Cup in Poland in the summer.

The Americans are leaving no stone unturned in ensuring that they avenge the defeat suffered at the hands of the Tunde Disu-led Saudi ‘89 squad and also top Group D at the end of the group matches. USA lost 1-2 to Nigeria in extra-time at the quarter final stage of the 1989 edition of the tournament.

To this end, the US U-20 head coach Tab Ramos has invited 24 players to camp for the final phase of their preparations in Florida. The team, Sporting Tribune Online gathered, has commenced intensive training since January. Ramos noted that 14 of the 24 players did not take part in the qualifying campaign, which ended with the US. U20’s second consecutive CONCACAF championship triumph.

Ramos, while analysing Group D, hinted that Nigeria are a team to beat going by the Flying Eagles’ record in the tournament but his wards will give all the teams in the group a good challenge for the second round tickets.

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“The Flying Eagles especially have played at the highest level of this championship. Any team that want to win the junior World Cup should be fully prepared to beat the Nigerian flagbearers. Nigeria and USA have met once in the competition and the memory of that match lingers on in our minds and this is the reason we are going to take every game  seriously, Nigeria game included,” Ramos said.

The Yankees are going to play a friendly match against Spain later this month and will also test the might of the French U20 national side in April.

The US team’s spot in Pot 1 came as a result of consecutive quarter final appearances at the 2015 and 2017 tournaments. USA and Nigeria will square up to each other in the second Group D match on May 27.