US to duel with New Zealand in U20 World Cup Round of 16

The United States will continue its quest at the 2023 FIFA Under-20 Men’s World Cup in Argentina with a Round of 16 show-down against New Zealand at the Estadio Malvinas Argentinas in Mendoza, Argentina, said CONCACAF on Monday.

“The US are coming off a superb performance in the group stage in which they won all three matches and registered a clean sheet in each,” CONCACAF said.

It said among the many players who have stood out for the 2022 CONCACAF Men’s Under-20 Championship winners are attackers Cade Cowell and Diego Luna.

CONCACAF said Cowell scored a goal in the 3-0 win versus Fiji and then again in the group stage finale against Slovakia, which was a 2-0 final.

“Meanwhile, Luna has tormented opposing defenses with his playmaking and has a goal and an assist in the tournament,” it said.

CONCACAF said the US has reached the quarterfinal round of the last three U20 World Cups, stating that “that streak will be on the line against a New Zealand side that finished third in Group A.”

The Oceania team got their lone win in the group against CONCACAF side Guatemala in a 1-0 final.

CONCACAF said the US and New Zealand are “no strangers when it comes to Round of 16 match-ups in the U20 World Cup.”

It noted that, in the 2017 edition, the two sides squared off in the first stage of the knockout round, in which the US claimed a 6-0 victory.