March 18, 2001

Tunapuna, Trinidad - The U.S. Under-20 Men's National Team exploded for three goals in a seven-minute span in the first half and cruised to a 5-0 win against Guatemala in the team's first match of the CONCACAF Under-20 qualifying tournament at the Dr. Joao Havelange Centre of Excellence in Tunapuna, Trinidad.  

With the win, the U.S. vaults to the top of the qualifying tournament, and will face Trinidad & Tobago, 3-0 losers to Costa Rica, on Tuesday.  The top two teams at the tournament will advance to the 2001 FIFA World  Youth Championship in Argentina from June 17 - July 8.

"We are very happy to open the tournament with a win, especially a quality win like we had tonight," U.S. head coach Wolfgang Suhnholz said. "However, we still have two more matches to play and we have to take care of business in those matches or this first win doesn't matter.  And it is never easy to play team at home in a tournament like this."  

The U.S. got on the board in the 13th minute when a DJ Countess punt started a U.S. counterattack that would prove lethal.  U.S. forward Conor Casey flicked on the punt, and Landon Donovan raced into space in the box to catch the ball.  Donovan evaded a defender in the left side of the penalty box, drew the goalkeeper out of the goal and played the bouncing ball across the box where an unmarked Casey easily volleyed the ball into the empty net.  

The U.S. struck again three minutes later with a Bobby Convey strike, and he added another three minutes later when DaMarcus Beasley found space on the right side and laid a perfect ball behind the defense and into space in the penalty box that Convey one-timed into the net from six yards.  Also scoring were Beasley and Brad Davis.

Guatemala was unlucky not to add a goal of their own, but the Central American team was denied by Countess and his six saves, as well as by the post midway through the second half.  Countess, who recorded his third shutout of 2001, was tested throughout the evening and came up with three big saves in the first half, including one early in the match with the score knotted 0-0.  The U.S. barely outshot Guatemala by a 11-10 margin that suggests a closer final score.

Countess' Bruin teammates Nelson Akwari and Alex Yi also started and played all 90 minutes of the contest.

The U.S. continues their run to Argentina 2001 on Tuesday, March 20, when they face Trinidad & Tobago, and will finish the qualifying tournament against Costa Rica on March 22.  The top two teams from the group will advance to the 2001 World Youth Championship from June 17-July 8 in Argentina.