U20 Men Shutout Against Germans

Americans Fall in First Game of U20 World Cup

September 26, 2009

SUEZ, Egypt – Reigning European champion Germany scored two goals within three minutes in the first half to defeat the U.S. Under-20 Men’s National Team, 3-0, in the first game for both teams at the 2009 U-20 World Cup.

The Germans got on the board first after a penalty. Bjorn Kopplin found his way into the penalty box and cut toward goal. Forward Brian Ownby, tracking back quickly to make up ground, tackled Kopplin and was whistled for a penalty. US ‘keeper Brian Perk, who had stopped two penalty shots in the semifinal of the CONCACAF U-20 Championship in March, dove to his left as Semih Aydilek put the ball low and to his right to give Germany the 1-0 lead.

The U.S. goalkeeper, who entered the game having given up only one goal in nine games this year, got a hand on the second goal in the 32nd minute, which came after Germany earned one of its four first-half corner kicks. The driven ball went to the top of the box, where Florian Jungwirth was waiting. Jungwirth took a touch and fired a shot through a crowd, where Perk was able to react quickly and get a hand on the ball, but couldn’t keep it from hitting high inside the net.

“This clearly wasn’t a good day for us. We have to give Germany some credit, they are the European champions and we knew we’d be in for a long and hard match, we were prepared for that,” said U.S. head coach Thomas Rongen. “Saying that, the team as a whole, especially in the first half, gave Germany a little too much respect.

“We tried to pull back in the second half, where we played somewhat better with the changes that we made. Based on performances and the scouting of Cameroon, I would certainly think that we will make some changes for our next game.”

Germany’s third goal came in the 73rd minute, during another counterattack opportunity. Cihan Kaptan found some space down his right wing, and drove a low ball across the box. Manuel Schaeffler was there, running with Ike Opara at the far post. Schaeffler slid and was able to get his body on it and push it into the goal to round out the scoring.

It was the first time the U.S. has been shutout at this event since their most recent match against Germany in the first round in 2005.

The U.S. has a chance to rebound against Cameroon on Tuesday, Sept. 29, at 6:45 p.m. local time (12:45 p.m. ET).

Cameroon topped Korea Republic 2-0, in the second game of the double-header at Mubarak Stadium in Suez, Egypt, meaning that they are tied for the group lead with Germany on three points.

U.S. UNDER-20 MEN’S NATIONAL TEAM MATCH REPORT

Scoring Summary:
GER – Semih Aydilek (penalty) 30th minute
GER – Florian Jungwirth 32nd
GER – Manuel Schaffler 72nd

Lineups:
USA: 24-Brian Perk; 14-Gerson Mayen, 2-Gale Agbossoumonde, 16-Ike Opara, 2-Kyle Davies (capt.) (19-Jorge Flores, 36); 3-Dillon Powers (17-Bryan Arguez, 46), 8-Jared Jeffrey, 11-Mikkel Diskerud (10-Dilly Duka, 78); 7-Tony Taylor, 15-Brian Ownby, 20-Brek Shea

GER: 1-Ron-Robert Zieler; 2-Sebastian Jung, 4-Florian Jungwirth (capt.), 5-Lars Bender, 8-Mario Vrancic, 9-Richard Sukuta-Pasu, 10-Lewis Holtby (16-Cihan Kaptan, 71), 13-Bjorn Kopplin, 15-Semih Aydilek (3-David Vrzogic, 81), 17-Patrick Funk, 18-Tobias Kempe (11-Manuel Schaffler, 64)

Return from U20 Men Shutout Against Germans to US National Teams

ADD TO YOUR SOCIAL BOOKMARKS: