U.S. Advances To U-20 World Cup Quarterfinals With 3-0 Win vs. Italy

The United States has advanced to the FIFA U-20 World Cup quarterfinals following its 3-0 win over Italy in the Round of 16 on Thursday at El Teniente Stadium in Rancagua, Chile.

Benjami Cremaschi opened the scoring for the U.S. with a tap-in off of a deflection from a Joshua Wydner’s header. He doubled his total for the evening and sealed the win for the United States with a 93rd minute goal.

Cremaschi has a tournament-leading five goals and two assists for the U.S. at the tournament. He started the season playing alongside Lionel Messi at Inter Miami CF, but he secured a loan to Serie A club Parma in September.

Niko Tsakiris scored the United States’ second goal with a direct free-kick attempt that curled around Italy’s defensive wall and snuck past goalkeeper Jacobo Seghetti in the bottom left corner of the goal.

This is the United States’ fifth consecutive time qualifying for the U-20 World Cup quarterfinals. The furthest they’ve advanced in the tournament was in 1989, when they finished in fourth place.

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