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This week in US Soccer: Baby Yanks top group, Bobby Wood to re-sign

By Michael Harshbarger

INCHEON, SOUTH KOREA - MAY 22: Joshua Sargent (L) of USA celebrates with Derrick Jones after scoring hids team's first goal during the FIFA U-20 World Cup Korea Republic 2017 group F match between Ecuador and USA at Incheon Munhak Stadium on May 22, 2017 in Incheon, South Korea. (Photo by Joern Pollex - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)
INCHEON, SOUTH KOREA - MAY 22: Joshua Sargent (L) of USA celebrates with Derrick Jones after scoring hids team's first goal during the FIFA U-20 World Cup Korea Republic 2017 group F match between Ecuador and USA at Incheon Munhak Stadium on May 22, 2017 in Incheon, South Korea. (Photo by Joern Pollex - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images) /
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The Baby Yanks pass a stiff first two tests at the U-20 World Cup, Bobby Wood to renew contract with Hamburg and Carli Lloyd throws bows.

U.S. U-20s show resilience, top World Cup group

The USA U-20 men’s team topped Group F of the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Korea Republic Thursday morning, beating Senegal 1-0 to move on to four points. They can secure first place in the group by beating Saudi Arabia on Sunday.

In their first group match against Ecuador on Monday, the U.S. needed 94 minutes to find the equalizer. The 3-3 draw showed the gumption and never-say-die attitude this group of Baby Yanks possess.

Fulham man, and possessor of the best name in U.S. Soccer, Luca de la Torre popped up to slot home the last minute equalizer, salvaging a point for the U.S. However, a couple of other items competed with this strike for headlines in this one.

17-year-old striker Josh Sargent made it possible for Torre to tie the game thanks to an earlier brace. He scored on either side of halftime to help offset the two goals the Yanks gave up in the first seven minutes of the match.

The St. Louis native, who is set to feature for the U-17s in their World Cup later in the year, looks to be the real deal. Werder Bremen, at least, seem to think so, as the German side have reportedly won the race for Sargent’s signature. Due to FIFA rules, he can’t officially sign a professional contract outside the U.S. until he turns 18, so the deal won’t become official until Feb. 20, 2018.

Unfortunately, the other bit of news from the match against Ecuador is negative: Gideon Zelalaem, currently on the books at Arsenal, reportedly tore an ACL in the first half. The 19-year-old, who has been on loan with Rangers in Scotland and VVV Venlo in Holland for the last two seasons, is set to miss up to nine months while recovering. It’s a huge blow for Zelalem, who had failed to break into the Arsenal first team up to this point, but was looking to do so before his contract runs out in 2018.

Extras

USMNT forward Bobby Wood will renew his contract with Hamburg according to reports. Wood surely would have pursued one of the rumored offers from interested parties outside Germany if Hamburg hadn’t managed to stay in the Bundesliga. But they did and Wood is on the verge of re-signing.

At the beginning of the season, it looked as if no one else on Hamburg was going to score a goal besides Wood. He had the only two goals the club scored in their first 10 games … which is bad, I think. Wood slowed down through the rest of the season, thanks in part to injury, finishing the season with nine goals in all competitions.

Next: Manchester United win Europa League final

We will end on a low note: Carli Lloyd will now play three fewer games for Manchester City than she intended to after being suspended for elbowing an opponent in the head. The dumbest part was that City were up 5-1 with one minute left in regular time (smh). However, if you’re going to get suspended  for three games you may as well get your money’s worth. Lloyd sure did:

See y’all next week.

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