U.S. soccer starts youth movement
Josh Sargent recalled when coach John Hackworth greeted the U.S. Under-17s at breakfast in India last month and told players the American national team failed to qualify for next year’s World Cup.
“Everybody thought he was joking,” the-17-year-old forward said. “We all like giggled and were like, ‘yeah, OK, what was the score? What really happened?’ He was like, ‘no, I swear, everything that could have possibly went wrong went wrong, and we’re not in qualifying.’ And everybody was just completely shocked. And I don’t think anybody said one word in that breakfast.”
Following its Caribbean collapse, the U.S. overhauled its roster for today’s exhibition against Portugal in Leiera. Coach Bruce Arena quit and was replaced for this game by his top assistant, Dave Sarachan.
Sargent could become the first to play for the U.S. Under-17, Under-20 and national team in the same year. He is among five players who could make their national team debuts, joined by defender Cameron Carter-Vickers (19), midfielders Tyler Adams (18) and Weston McKennie (19), and goalkeeper Jesse Gonzalez (22).
Twelve of the 21 players have made three international appearances or fewer.
“I think all the young players here have a lot of potential and could go on to big things in the careers,” said Carter-Vickers, a son of former NBA player Howard Carter.
Still, Sarachan thinks change should be tempered.
“I don’t think it’s a situation where we at U.S. Soccer now have to blow up the template and start from scratch,” he said.
Christian Pulisic, the 19-year-old midfielder who played a role in 12 of the 17 U.S. goals during the final round of qualifying, was given time to rest. He was not included on the roster and most veterans were dropped, including all whose teams reached the semifinals of Major League Soccer’s playoffs. MLS players figure to dominate the roster for a training camp ahead of the next match, an exhibition against BosniaHerzegovina on Jan. 28 at Carson, Calif.
It has not been decided whether the U.S. will hold its annual January training camp in Carson, Calif., a process that started in 2004.
Four-time champion Italy failed to qualify for the World Cup for the first time in six decades after losing its playoff to Sweden 1-0 on aggregate. They played to a goalless draw in a quiet San Siro on Monday.
It could have been worse for Italy, as Sweden was denied what looked like two clear-cut penalties for handballs, first from Matteo Darmian and then from Andrea Barzagli. Italy had a penalty appeal of its own waved off by referee Antonio Mateu Lahoz when Marco Parolo was tripped from behind by Ludwig Augsustinsson.
But the Azzurri struggled to carve out clear chances against a solid Sweden side, and really tested goalkeeper Robin Olsen only once.
The last major competitions Italy missed were the 1984 and 1992 European Championships. It has participated in every World Cup since failing to qualify for the 1958 tournament.