It's early, but here's a score you didn't think you'd see: #Sub17 #1T 20’ MEX 0-1 PUR¡Venga, Incondicionales! ¡A gritar a todo pulmón! 🗣 🇲🇽¡México! ¡México! ¡México! 👊🏻 👊🏻#CU17 | #FMFporNuestroFútbol— Selección Nacional (@miseleccionmx) May 8, 2019 Mexico vs. Puerto Rico
U17 results from the other half of the bracket: El Salvador 2-1 Jamaica Mexico 2-1 Puerto Rico QF = Mexico v El Salvador Honduras 4-1 Trinidad and Tobago Haiti 2-0 Dominican Republic QF = Honduras v Haiti
I read that wrong at first and moved words around. I thought you were asking how many games we needed to win the WC. I was thinking that's pretty optimistic this early.
Two things that jump out: very weak performance by Mexico, squeaking past an unheralded PR side, does not reflect well on that team; and Honduras impressed more than any other side, beating a solid NT despite a weak performance in the group stage. I suspect we'll see a Mex/Hondo semifinal, and that it'll be very competitive.
That's true every cycle, though. If you have 1-2 that really end up being elite international-caliber players, then you're in good shape. 4-5 and you've had an amazing cycle. If we look at say, the 2015 U17 World Cup squad.......................there's Tyler Adams and Christian Pulisic. Many of the others are professionals, but those two look like core USMNTers. That doesn't mean there aren't players from that age group that also look like core USMNTs (McKennie for instance). It just means that for THIS U17 squad, only 1 or 2, became elite players. The same will be true for this group. We spend an awful lot of time analyzing U17 World Cup pools and squads, but the group will have enormous turnover by the time they're U20s!
I think Bradenton made them look better at this age but hindered their long term prospects. Now it's the other way around where they have no continuity when together but overall they may be ahead with better club coaching than what they got at Bradenton.
It's interesting to me that we see a lot fewer beatdowns at this level than we did at the U20s. I think that the gaps in talent and technique are not as pronounced but by the time Mexico and the USA go to the U20s, their players are mostly seasoned pros and they're still playing against local boys. I think that's pretty typical at the U17 level. Early developers have huge advantages still at this age group but by the time U20 rolls around things have mostly evened out and the best players rise to the top. Some of these U17 players are still going to end up in college ball and never be heard from again.
https://www.facebook.com/concacafcom/ Looks like Costa Rica vs Nicaragua was delayed in first half at 16:48 and is restarting in 10 minutes or so. Probably will delay US game.
We're not playing on that field. We're playing on the same field as the Canada game. Was that one delayed?
Good Point. I don't technically know but the fields aren't that far enough for a thunderstorm to delay one game and not the one next door.