Match Report: US U17 Men’s National Team 8-0 Saint Vincent & the Grenadines U17s

Photo courtesy @USYNT Twitter

The United States’ Men’s Under-17 National Team began its 2026 World Cup Qualifying campaign with a dominant 8-0 victory against Saint Vincent & the Grenadines.

The match was the USA’s first step toward qualifying for the 2026 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Qatar, which will feature 48 teams and will be staged this coming November. Eight group winners from across Concacaf will qualify for the tournament, and the U.S. is aiming for a record 20th appearance on the world stage. The winner of each group advances to the 48-team Under-17 World Cup in a process that runs annually, allowing more players to be involved.

In these CONCACAF youth qualifiers, it is very important to build a somewhat ridiculous goal differential over the weaker sides in the group. Last year, the US U-17s beat the US Virgin Islands 22-0.

With the new calendar year, the team consists of players born on or after January 1, 2009.

Philadelphia Union II’s Malik Jakupovic and Union Academy goalkeeper Matthew White are a part of the camp. Union II’s Willyam Ferreria was named as an alternate and participated in training ahead of the matches. PSP colleague Tim Jones’ visit to Union II training on February 2nd confirmed that Ferreira returned to Philadelphia and most likely has traveled to Clearwater with the rest of the available Union II team.

First half

As anticipated, the opening minutes were marked by a barrage of attacking pressure from the United States, which found the opener through a half volley by the LA Galaxy’s Aaron Medina in the sixth minute. PSV Eindhoven’s William Ostrander had the assist with a selfless header played to the forward from within the six-yard box.

Medina had a second in the 15th minute on the end of a low ball by San Jose’s KK Spivey, but the goal was called an own goal by Saint Vincent’s Damarion Peterson.

Medina’s brace came in the 29th minute, when Ostrander collected a ball spilled by Saint Vincent’s keeper, David Butler, and played it centrally to make it 3-0. Medina was calm with the right-footed tap-in.

The forward earned his hat trick in the 37th minute with a headed goal on the end of a cross from his Galaxy teammate Max Steelman. Ostrander played the long ball across the pitch for the secondary assist.

Saint Vincent had a few hopeful attacking chances, but all of them sputtered out as soon as they were able to get the ball into the United States’ defensive third.

Saint Vincent’s Jolanson Charles saw the first booking of the match for a hard challenge on Liam Vejrostek at midfield.

Ostrander almost made it five in stoppage time, but his shot somehow came off the inside of the post and into the hands of the Saint Vincent keeper.

Second half

Saint Vincent made two changes at the break.

The United States got the fifth through Red Bull New York’s Paul Sokoloff after some technical dribbling by Ostrander on the left wing.

Following that goal, Malik Jakupovic and Mattheo Dimareli entered for Medina and Ostrander.

Sokoloff scored again with a header on a well-taken corner kick by Dimareli, who had just entered.

Malik Jakupovic scored his inevitable goal on a free kick played in by Sokoloff to make it seven. After that one, Sokoloff and Steelman made way for Vincente Garcia and Myles Gardner.

Jakupovic made it eight in the 87th thanks to a low cross by Myles Gardner.

Next match

The U17MNT will play its next qualifying match in two days against Saint Kitts and Nevis, on Saturday, February 7th, at 7 PM EST. The match will be available live on FS2. They finish the qualifying against the Dominican Republic on Tuesday, February 10th at 1 PM.

Three Points:

Aaron Medina’s attacking positioning and awareness passed the eye test against the weakest side in the group, highlighted by his first-half perfect hat trick.
Malik Jakupovic’s involvement in the match provisionally cap ties him to the United States. He could still theoretically switch to represent Bosnia and Herzegovina in the future, if he so chooses.

The earlier match in Group E was a 5-0 win for the Dominican Republic over Saint Kitts and Nevis. The US will need to maintain a better goal differential so that a draw against the Dominican Republic in the final match of the qualifier would still see them through to the World Cup

Lineups

United States

James Donaldson; Prince Forfor, Liam Vejrostek, Tyson Espy, Daniel Barrett, Peter Molinari (Landry Walker– 77’), KK Spivey, Paul Sokoloff (Vicente Garcia– 72’), Will Ostrander (Mattheo Dimareli– 62’), Aaron Medina (Malik Jakupovic– 62’), Max Steelman (Myles Gardner– 72’)

Unused subs: Matthew White; Keller Abbott, Eddie Chadwick, Astin Mbaye, Roko Pehar

Saint Vincent & The Grenadines

David Butler; Shemron Gaymes (Adam Pierre– 64’), Jonathan Keizer (Glenrick Hazell– 84’), Xavroy Barbour, Damarion Peterson, Javier Friday, Reggie Barbour (Beau Hoyte– 46’), Gideon Bess (Julian Hendrickson– 46’), Jolanson Charles, Daemar Michael, Jaymar Williams

Unused Subs: Luke Duncan, Emon Gil, Dinesh Grant, Joshua King, Mario Jr Taylor