SAN JUAN, Costa Rica – Sebastian Saucedo scored a pair of goals, while Brooks Lennon notched his fourth of the tournament as the United States U20s advanced to the second stage of the 2017 CONCACAF U20 Championship with a 4-1 win against St. Kitts & Nevis on Friday night at the Estadio Ricardo Saprissa. The U.S. held the upper hand for most of the game from the start, and broke through with two goals in four minutes to take control. Former Charleston Battery loanee  Jeremy Ebobisse set up the first in the 17th minute as his low cross found Real Salt Lake’s Brooks Lennon for his fourth goal of the tournament, while Jonathan Lewis poked home a close-range chance three minutes later to make it 2-0. RSL’s Sebastian Saucedo – who played on loan with Real Monarchs SLC in 2015 – then struck twice in the final 10 minutes of the half, including a free kick from 25 yards, to make it 4-0 at the break. Saucedo almost completed his hat trick in the 66th minute with a curling shot from the left side of the penalty area, while former OKC Energy FC loanee Coy Craft had two good chances saved after coming on as a halftime substitute. St. Kitts & Nevis got on the scoreboard with 13 minutes to go when Romario Martin capitalized on a poor pass by Justen Glad, but that would be the only goal of the second half as the United States advanced.

Scoring:
17’ – USA – Brooks Lennon (Jeremy Ebobisse)
20’ – USA – Jonathan Lewis (Justin Glad)
35’ – USA – Sebastian Saucedo (Jonathan Lewis)
41’ – USA – Sebastian Saucedo
77’ – SKN – Romario Martin

Three Things That Matter:

• 1. The United States progressed to the second stage of the tournament in the fashion one would have expected against the opposition it faced as the Real Salt Lake duo of Brooks Lennon and Sebastian Saucedo notched three goals and center back Justen Glad added an assist. The story of the five former Real Salt Lake Academy players in the squad – three of whom subsequently played for Real Monarchs SLC in the USL – should be well-known by this point, and Lennon now sits second in the tournament with four goals to lead the team. 

• 2. Part of the reason Lennon and Saucedo have fared well over the past two games has been the play of Jeremy Ebobisse, who recorded his second assist for Lennon in as many games to open the scoring. The Portland Timbers forward – who competed on loan for the Charleston Batttery last season – almost opened his account as well, only for his three shots on goal to be denied. Ebobisse’s hold-up play and burst to create space will be critical as the U.S. looks ahead to its final two games.

• 3. The U.S. has looked much better in its past two games, but the task will become far harder for its next two as it faces first Mexico and then El Salvador with a place at the FIFA U20 World Cup in South Korea at stake. Needing to finish in the top two of the three-team group, the United States will likely get two bites at the cherry with one win out of two likely to be good enough to advance. With the game against Mexico coming first, though, it will be interesting to see if the confidence the side has gained can carry forward and allow the side to test its biggest rival on Monday evening.  

Upcoming Games:

• United States – vs. Mexico, Monday, February 27, 5 p.m. ET

• St. Kitts & Nevis – End of Tournament