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Alex Zahavi scored the only goal for the United States Under-20 Men's National Team, but that was only enough to get the game to penalties where Colombia prevailed 3-1 in both teams' opener of the Torneo de las Americas on Friday in Kenneshaw, Ga.
The Los Angeles Galaxy's Tristan Bowen started the goal-scoring sequence with a cross in to Sebastian Lletget, who headed it to Zahavi.
That goal stood up as the only of the match until the 86th minute, when Colombia found the equalizer off the foot of Fabian Castillo, who beat three defenders and goalkeeper Jonathan Kempin.
In the penalty shootout, Dillon Powers was the only U.S. player to convert.
The tournament features three teams, with the U.S. playing Mexico on Sunday. Mexico and Colombia play each other on Saturday.
In addition to Bowen, other MLS players who saw significant minutes were New York Red Bulls' Juan Agudelo and Philadelphia Union's Amobi Okugo, who both started. DC United's Conor Shanosky, Chivas USA's Cesar Zamora and Toronto FC's Fuad Ibrahim were all second-half substitutes. Gale Agbossoumonde, fresh off his U.S. senior team debut, did not play.
U.S. U-20s Close Out Torneo De Los Americas With Another PK Loss
Gale Agbossoumonde scored a second-half equalizer, off his own rebound, and was one of two U.S. U-20 players to covert his penalty in the shootout, but it wasn't enough for the Americans to avoid a second straight penalty shootout loss in the Torneo de los Americas on Sunday.
The U.S. tied Mexico 1-1, but this three-team, round-robin tournament calls for penalties to decide any tie. The United States lost the shootout 4-2, with Alex Zahavi being the only other American to convert. Colombia had beaten the U.S. in a penalty shootout, following another 1-1 tie, on Friday. All three games of the tournament, in fact, ended in ties as Colombia and Mexico tied on Saturday.
Agbossoumonde's goal came in the 70th minute, indirectly off a corner kick. Agbossoumonde snapped a header on goal that was saved, but he was the first one to the ball and beat Mexican goalkeeper Rafael.
Seven minutes earlier, Taufic Guarch scored Mexico's goal.
Among the other notable Americans to play the entire match were West Ham's Sebastian Lletget, the Philadelphia Union's Amobi Okugo, Sporting Kansas City goalkeeper Jonathan Kempin and the New York Red Bulls' Juan Agudelo.
Nov 29 3:41a by Jeremiah Oshan - 1 comment