With a summer of international soccer in full swing, the United States Under-20 side is set for its 2019 U-20 World Cup quarterfinal match against Ecuador on Saturday (FS2, 9:30a MT).
Real Salt Lake has plenty involvement in Poland for this year’s tournament, as current RSL goalkeeper David Ochoa, 18, has helped USA to reach the quarterfinals of the World Cup, securing a shutout in the teams 1-0 victory over Qatar on May 30. Ochoa isn’t the only player with RSL roots to have made an impact for Head Coach Tab Ramos’ side as former RSL Academy men Sebastian Soto and Richard Ledezma have both seen superb play lead the team into the final eight.
The United States entered the knockout round having finished second in Group D of this year’s tournament, pitting itself against tournament-favorite France in the Round of 16. The US ultimately prevailed 3-2 over France on the back of two goals from Soto who has seen a meteoric rise at this year’s tournament.
Soto, 18, currently sits third in the tournament’s Golden Boot charts with four goals thus far, sitting atop the USA scoring charts. Ledezma, 18, has one assist from the team’s match Round of 16 bout with France.
Ramos’ side will likely lean on its Major League Soccer representation against Ecuador on Saturday with the team carrying 10 MLS-based players, including Ochoa.
Ecuador finished in third place in Group B, entering the knockout rounds as a wildcard before claiming a 3-1 victory over Uruguay in the Round of 16. Ecuador is led by Gonzalo Plata who has two goals in 360 minutes played in the tournament. The United States and Ecuador played in the last U-20 World Cup in 2017, playing to a dramatic 3-3 draw that saw the US storm back twice in the match and rescue a point in stoppage time.
USA and Ecuador will kick off on Saturday morning at 9:30a MT with fans able to watch the match live on FS2 as the United States looks to secure its best finish in the tournament since a fourth-place finish in 1989.
