U.S. Under-19 Men's Youth National Team Tops Argentina 1-0 to Open Pair of Matches in South America

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (June 7, 2024) – The U.S. Under-19 Mens Youth National Team shut out Argentina to record a 1-0 win at the AFA National Training Center. Center forward Keyrol Figueroa tallied the match's lone goal in the 47th minute.

Just after the half winger Nimfasha Berchimas dribbled the ball down the left flank, shaking his defender off before sliding a pass to an on-rushing Figueroa heading into the box. The Liverpool striker waited patiently as he deliberately made his way toward the six with jukes and fakes before calmly slipping a shot past the defenders and goalkeeper Jeremías Martinent.

Berchimas and Figueroa were teammates on the USA's 2023 FIFA U-17 World Cup roster that reached the knockout stage in Indonesia before falling to eventual champion Germany. Born in 2008, Berchimas is the youngest player on the U-19 MYNT roster in South America, which has an age cut-off of Jan. 1, 2005.

Both teams played evenly throughout the rest of the second half until Argentina turned up the pressure in the match's final moments. In the 82nd, with Argentina attackers all over the box, USA blocked four-straight shots- two saves and two defender blocks- before clearing the ball and stifling Argentina's last best chance to equalize.

The scoreless first half was highlighted by a diving save from U.S. goalkeeper Gavin Beavers in the 11th minute. Argentina's Franco Mastantuono took a free kick from just outside the top of the box, sending his shot inside the far-right post, but Beavers denied the chance with a full-extension dive to his left.

The U-19 MYNT will return to action on Tuesday, June 11, to take on Uruguay in Montevideo. The USA is preparing for this summer's Concacaf Under-20 Championship in Guanajuato, Mexico, which will send four nations to the 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile.

-U.S. UNDER-19 MENS YOUTH NATIONAL TEAM-

Match: United States Mens Under-19 Mens Youth National Team vs. Argentina
Date: June 7, 2024
Competition: International Friendly
Venue: AFA National Training Center; Buenos Aires, Argentina
Kickoff: 6 p.m. ET (10 p.m. local)
Weather: 54 degrees; rainy

Lineups:
USA: 1-Gavin Beavers (12-Adam Beaudry, 61); 3-Nolan Norris (C) (15-Drew Murray, 70), 4-Noah Cobb, 5-Matai Akinmboni (22-Luca Bombino, 70), 6-Pedro Soma, 7-Nimfasha Berchimas (20-CJ Olney, 70), 8-Brooklyn Raines (14-Taha Habroune, 61), 9-Marcos Zambrano (17-Keyrol Figueroa, 45), 10-Nokolas Tsakiris (13-Cruz Medina, 61), 11-David Vasquez (18-Zavier Gozo, 45), 16-Ethan Kohler (2-Aiden Harangi, 45)
Substitutes not used: 19-Paulo Rudisill, 21-Julian Eystone
Head coach: Michael Nsien

ARG: 12-Jeremías Martinent, 3-Julio Soler (22-Octavio Ontivero, 54), 6-Tobías Palacio (15-Samuel Lucero, 54), 2-Juan Giménez (19-Luca Raffin, 54), 13-Gerónimo Heredia, 5-Lautaro López, 14-Milton Delgado (16-Lautaro Millán, 67), 8-Álvaro Montoro (11-Dylan Aquino, 45), 10-Franco Mastantuono (18-Alex Woiski, 67), 7-Jerómino Dómina (21-Gianluca Bosch, 45), 9-Agustín Ruberto
Substitutes not used: 1-Thiago de Bellis, 4-Nahuel Arias, 19-Luca Raffin, 20-Jeremías Lucco, 17-Thiago Romano
Head coach: Javier Mascherano

Stats Summary: USA / ARG
Shots: 7 / 11
Shots on Goal: 3 / 5
Saves: 5 / 2
Corner Kicks: 2 / 2
Fouls: 15 / 5
Offside: 0 / 0

Misconduct Summary:
USA — Matco Zambrano (Caution)45th minute
USA — Adam Beaudry (Caution)82

Officials:
Referee: Lucas Comesaña (ARG)
Assistant Referee 1: Mariana Dealmeida (ARG)
Assistant Referee 2: Gisele Bosso (ARG)
Fourth Official: Martin D’Esposito (ARG)