The United States were perfect through the group stage of the 2023 FIFA Under-20 World Cup, but now the real tests begin as they take on New Zealand in the single-elimination Round of 16.
From here on out, it’s win-or-go-home in the knockout stage as the USA search for an all-time best performance at this event. The best finish for the United States at a men’s U-20 World Cup is fourth, having reached the semifinals just once, back in 1989.
Otherwise, they’ve only made it as far as the quarterfinals, a result they’ve achieved on six occasions, including in the last three tournaments.
“The teams that get better as the tournament goes on go the deepest,” head coach Mikey Varas said. The U.S. was dominant in group stage play, but the competition will only get tougher from here.
New Zealand finished third in Group A, beating Guatemala in the first group stage game before a draw with Uzbekistan and a heavy defeat to Argentina by a 5-0 scoreline. They still qualified for the knockout stage by securing enough points to finish as one of the four best third-place teams.
MORE: How USA beat Slovakia to win Group B and secure a knockout stage spot
The Sporting News is following the USA U-20 vs New Zealand match live, providing score updates, commentary and highlights as they happen.
We keep building. π
Our @FIFAWorldCup journey continues as the #U20MYNT kicks off the knockout stage today! pic.twitter.com/Rbq5pT9MNk
β U.S. Soccer YNT (@USYNT) May 30, 2023
USA vs New Zealand live score
| Score (HT) | Goal scorers | |
| USA | 1 | Wolff (14′) |
| New Zealand | 0 | β |
Starting lineups:
USA (3-4-3, right to left): 1. Slonina (GK) β 17. Che, 5. Craig, 4. Wynder β 13. Gomez, 8. McGlynn, 6. Edelman, 10. Luna, 3. Wiley β 10. Luna, 9. Cowell, 16. Wolff.
New Zealand (4-3-3, right to left): 1. Sims (GK) β 14. Linder, 4. Hughes, 5. Surman, 20. L. Kelly-Heald β 18. Wallace, 16. McKay, 6. Conchie β 9. Colloty, 10. Herdman, 11. Garbett.
USA vs New Zealand live updates, highlights and commentary
HALFTIME: USA 1-0 New Zealand
The United States completely dominated the opening 45 minutes, but could only muster one sloppy goal as the half ends with just a slim lead.
It’s emblematic of their World Cup performances so far, dominating for large stretches but failing to capitalize on their host of chances. In fairness, it’s not like the U.S. have had a number of glaring misses, as New Zealand defended well under waves of pressure, but it’s not crazy to think that Mikey Varas will believe he should be entering the locker room with a much healthier lead.
The U.S. held 70 percent possession through that opening half, out-shooting New Zealand 11-3, but only able to put three of those shots on target. They’ll again need to turn up the finishing in the second half, something they’ve managed to do a few times throughout this competition.
The shot β‘οΈ the celebration#U20MYNT pic.twitter.com/fkvhd8SN3q
β U.S. Soccer YNT (@USYNT) May 30, 2023
USA vs New Zealand: First Half
45+6 min: Chance, USA! As the stoppage time nears the end, Diego Luna holds off a strong challenge to carry the ball forward and thread through Caleb Wiley down the left. He looks to cross, but it’s deflected out of play for a corner.
Jack McGlynn’s delivery is cleared but only as far as Dan Edelman, whose hit from distance is stopped well by Keen Sims. The U.S. retain possession and a ball into the area nearly finds Josh Wynder but he can’t put it on frame as he throws himself at it amidst heavy pressure. That’s a big letoff for New Zealand as the first half comes to a close.
It seems to only be a matter of time for Joshua Wynder π€ pic.twitter.com/40noeflKfc
β FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) May 30, 2023
45+1 min: As six minutes of stoppage time commence, Jonathan Gomez is thrown to the turf like a rag doll by Oliver Colloty, and somehow none of the officials spotted it, or it was deemed not to be illegal, so it goes unpunished. Gomez has been hacked on multiple occasions over the last few minutes, and has shown some frustration with the lenient officiating.
In truth, that’s an embarrassing miss from the refereeing crew. If allowed to continue it could lead to some further aggression by both sides in the future.
Things are heating up on the pitch π«’ pic.twitter.com/wc2Jj7ERQi
β FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) May 30, 2023
40th min: Chance, USA! Cade Cowell wins a one-on-one challenge with Finn Linder, which leaves the New Zealand defender down injured in the aftermath. Play is waved on, and Cowell takes the space afforded to him by the injury, and feeds into the middle where Jonathan Gomez tries to poke it on frame, but it skitters just inches wide of the far post!
Linder comes off after treatment holding his left shoulder, and New Zealand are forced to defend the corner with 10 men, but they manage to get it clear by winning a foul. Linder then re-enters the pitch.
Narrowly wide π
The lead nearly doubles for the @USYNT pic.twitter.com/GvsuIs5xZc
β FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) May 30, 2023
34th min: Owen Wolff has a go from distance, which isn’t far wide, looking for a second in the match.
Moments later, Wolff does excellently to carry the ball forward and draw no less than five defenders, and he lays it off to Cade Cowell who had acres of space to shoot from the left. Unfortunately Cowell takes too long to get his shot off, and the defense recovers to block. Jack McGlynn has a rip on the rebound, but it sails just inches over the crossbar.
Owen Wolff is itching for a brace ππΊπΈ pic.twitter.com/mLd0sS1cgo
β FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) May 30, 2023
30th min: New Zealand head coach Darren Bazeley can be heard loudly instructing his side to be “more aggressive!” Sounds like he’s hoping to assert some dominance in this match, as other than the two early counter-attack chances, New Zealand have had little to no influence on the game’s flow so far.
26th min: The game has slowed a bit as the United States possesses the ball in their own half, trying to coax New Zealand out of their shape, with the opponent not acquiescing. As New Zealand sit back and invite the U.S. to come at them, Mikey Varas’s side doesn’t oblige, and there’s a bit of a stalemate.
22nd min: Finn Surman makes a spectacular challenge on Cade Cowell who was steaming into the penalty area and readying to shoot from a dangerous position. That’s a really high quality tackle from the New Zealand defender.
20th min: Chance, USA! It’s off the crossbar! A cross from Jonathan Gomez making a vertical run clatters off Finn Surman, and smashes into the woodwork! That’s close to disaster for New Zealand, but they escape unharmed.
14th min: GOAL! USA! The United States strike first, and it comes on a huge mistake by Kees Sims! Owen Wolff takes aim from distance and hits what amounts to a slow roller, but somehow it sneaks into the back of the net! Sims dove for it extremely early, and it’s confusing how he couldn’t reach that relatively tame effort! It may have taken a slight deflection on its way through, but not enough to be a real problem.
The U.S. will take it, and they have an early lead! Upon further review, it looks like Sims may have thought the ball was going wide, as it appears on replay like he almost pulled his hand back at the last moment to not concede a corner. If true, that would be a big mistake!
THERE IT IS!
It’s an ambitious effort from @AustinFC‘s Owen Wolff that opens the scoring for the @USYNT π pic.twitter.com/ejW0ly7eet
β FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) May 30, 2023
12th min: Chance, New Zealand! A big save by Gaga Slonina!! The Oceania side break again on a dangerous counter, and Jay Herdman lets it rip from outside the box. Slonina gets down to his right to stop the low fizzed effort, and he touches it just wide. That was close!
MASSIVE SAVE! @GabrielSlonina
π₯ Β» @FOXSoccer
β U.S. Soccer YNT (@USYNT) May 30, 2023
11th min: A U.S. corner forces a stop from Kees Sims, but it’s an elementary one, as he collects from an acrobatic effort by Josh Wynder. It looked cool, but it was all too easy for the New Zealand goalkeeper.
OH MY π±
What would have been by Joshua Wynder! πΊπΈ pic.twitter.com/WxnYFepk3H
β FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) May 30, 2023
6th min: Well now, play is stopped for a VAR check for a possible penalty for hand ball. It’s unclear exactly what happened, but it seems to be stemming from the previous New Zealand chance.
It was a very lengthy check, with a good three-minute stoppage, but eventually the check is complete and play continues without any further action taken. A nervy moment for the United States.
5th min: New Zealand have a chance to counter-attack, and they build nicely into a dangerous position, but Garbett’s one-time finish at the top of the six-yard area is blocked critically by Jonathan Gomez, and the ball loops harmlessly into Gaga Slonina’s grasp. That was close, and will serve as a warning shot for the United States.
The @USYNT GK @GabrielSlonina is there to ease all the tension in the box! πΊπΈ pic.twitter.com/0EMtu2KMH6
β FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) May 30, 2023
3rd min: The United States has most of the early possession, but haven’t managed to do much with it yet. A free-kick from about 35 or 40 yards out taken by Jack McGlynn was cleared by the New Zealand defense.
Kickoff: They’re under way in Mendoza, Argentina! It’s win or go home from here on out at the 2023 U-20 FIFA World Cup, and the winner of this match will take on either Uruguay or Gambia in the quarterfinals.
USA vs New Zealand: Pre-match commentary, analysis, stats, and more
10 mins to kickoff: If the U.S. will be looking for inspiration today as the match is nearly set to begin, they only need to look four years ago today, when Erling Haaland scored nine goals in a U-20 World Cup match for Norway. This is the tournament where stars are born!
Four years ago today, an 18-year-old Erling Haaland hit NINE goals for Norway in an U20 World Cup game π€
π½ @FIFAcom pic.twitter.com/HiNYbbNT0u
β Football Tekkers (@BallTekkers) May 30, 2023
20 mins to kickoff: Finally we have access to the New Zealand lineup, and there’s a host of changes from the heavy defeat to Argentina in their group stage finale.
Notably, Canada head coach John Herdman’s son Jay Herdman starts in midfield, and will pull the strings in the attack for New Zealand. His introduction is one of five changes to the lineup from the previous match.
Here is how we start for our FIFA U-20 World Cup Last 16 game vs @USYNT π³πΏπΊπΈ
βΆοΈ Watch live from 5:30pm on @skysportnz #U20WC pic.twitter.com/KVQKUk1Pxt
β New Zealand Football π³πΏ (@NZ_Football) May 30, 2023
30 mins to kickoff: The U.S. played all three group stage matches at Estadio San Juan del Bicentenario in San Juan, Argentina, but have trekked about five hours south to Mendoza for this Round of 16 match.
The new venue is Estadio Malvinas Argentinas which opened in 1978 and has a capacity of around 42,000. It is the regular home of Argentine Primera Division club Godoy Cruz, who finished 15th in the 28-team top flight table last season and sit 11th this year. It looks quite sunny there today!
The winner of today’s match will make a long, 1,000 km trip north to Santiago del Estero where their quarterfinal match will be held, up against the winner of Uruguay or Gambia.
πEstadio Malvinas Argentinas#U20MYNT pic.twitter.com/ndudiOsyCH
β U.S. Soccer YNT (@USYNT) May 30, 2023
45 mins to kickoff: While we gear up for the U.S. kids to contest the U-20 World Cup quarterfinals, the senior side made a significant change, as interim head coach Anthony Hudson departed for a new job and U.S. Soccer replaced him with BJ Callaghan. Hudson was extremely proficient at successfully integrating a number of young players and dual nationals into the program during his six months at the helm.
Find out more about new head coach BJ Callaghan by clicking here.
15 – Fifteen players made their @USMNT debuts in Anthony Hudson’s five matches as head coach, with at least one player debuting in four of the five matches. Reinvigorate. pic.twitter.com/MtC0iVJEgB
β OptaJackβ½οΈ (@OptaJack) May 30, 2023
1 hour to kickoff: The lineups are in, and Kevin Paredes does not start for the U.S. Instead, it’s a familiar front line of Cade Cowell, Owen Wolff, and Diego Luna, who will again play with a False 9 in the absence of a striker. They will be situated in a 3-4-3 formation that worked against Ecuador in the opening group stage match.
The road through the knockout stage begins today π
Your #U20MYNT starting XI vs. π³πΏ! pic.twitter.com/aYzAzyKykd
β U.S. Soccer YNT (@USYNT) May 30, 2023
1 hour 15 mins to kickoff: One thing nobody can criticize about the U.S. U-20 side through group stage play is the defense. The back line, anchored by the aforementioned Brandan Craig, didn’t concede a single goal through the three group stage matches.
With Josh Wynder and Marcus Ferkranus rotating at the other center-back spot, they did not concede many high quality chances to any of their previous opponents. The full-backs were also exceptional defending out wide, as Jonathan Gomez, Caleb Wiley, Michael Halliday, and Justin Che all found ways to track back despite providing varying degrees of attacking contributions.
It was a resounding success through group stage play, and as the opponents get tougher, they will need to ramp it up even more.
THE U.S. U20’s TOP GROUP B AT THE U20 WORLD CUP πΊπΈ
β 3 games
β 3 wins
β 6 goals scored
β 0 goals concededOnto the knockout stages π pic.twitter.com/Ye0LVQU0YF
β USMNT Only (@usmntonly) May 26, 2023
1 hour 30 mins to kickoff: One reason to think Kevin Paredes will slot straight into the U.S. attack is that overall, the forward line was wasteful throughout the group stage. They struggled to finish chances throughout the opening three matches, especially coming up short against Fiji who they should have beaten by much more thank three goals, putting them at potential risk of not finishing top of the group had the Slovakia game gone poorly.
Tough to criticize a team that goes 3/3 in group play with zero goals against, but this #USYNT has been pretty wasteful in front of goal.
They get that sorted and theyβre a massive problem for anyone in this tournament.
Overall very positive play from Mikey Varasβ team.
β herculez gomez (@herculezg) May 26, 2023
1 hour 45 mins to kickoff: The U.S. gets its final two participants as Kevin Paredes and Rokas Pukstas join the squad after completing their European club duties for the season. Paredes in particular is a key addition, considering the U.S. attack has done enough but hasn’t exactly been overwhelming.
Head coach Mikey Varas was non-committal on how much they would play against New Zealand, but it would be surprising not to see Paredes in the starting lineup. He only played limited minutes for Wolfsburg down the stretch of the season, so travel aside, he’ll be rested and ready to contribute.
PAREDES, PUKSTAS JOIN U20S πΊπΈπ©πͺππ·π¦ European club duties done, Wolfsburg’s Kevin Paredes & Hajduk Split’s Rokas PukΕ‘tas are with US U20s in Argentina & available today against New Zealand.
Coach Mikey Varas: “How much theyβre gonna play is going to depend on the game plan.” pic.twitter.com/QPlk7pDjkF
β Men in Blazers (@MenInBlazers) May 30, 2023
2 hours to kickoff: USA center-back Brandan Craig, who is a Philadelphia Union youth product, has been one of the best performers for the United States at the tournament so far. He’s getting buzz abroad having previously been on trial with Liverpool. He joined Box 2 Box, a CBS Sports Golazo show, and told them how much he wanted to play in Europe. Would Liverpool give him a look?
π£οΈ Brandan Craig to @CBSSportsGolazo:
“My main goal is to play Champions League football, Premier League, or any top 5 league in the world.” pic.twitter.com/ed5aMulw3V
β USMNT Otaku πΊπΈ (@USMNTOtaku) May 29, 2023
USA vs New Zealand lineups, team news
For the first time all tournament, the United States will have its full complement of players available as they begin knockout stage play. Kevin Paredes and Rokas Puktas are joining the squad, able to link up after being released by their club sides for the knockout stage, however neither was slotted straight into the starting lineup.
No players earned yellow card suspensions in the final group stage game, but Jack McGlynn, Diego Luna, and Josh Wynder would all be forced to sit out a potential quarterfinal if they are booked in this match.
USA confirmed starting lineup (3-4-3): Slonina (GK) β Che, Craig, Wynder β Gomez, McGlynn, Edelman, Luna, Wiley β Wolff, Cowell, Luna.
USA subs (10): Carrera (GK), Borto (GK), Ferkranus, Halliday, Vargas, Pukstas, Tsakiris, Sullivan, Paredes, Yapi.
An 80th-minute winner by Norman Garbett in their opener against Guatemala gave New Zealand three of their four group stage points, and went a long way towards helping them secure a knockout stage spot. The son of Canada men’s senior head coach John Herdman, Jay Herdman, is on the squad, and scored a Goal of the Tournament candidate in the 2-2 draw with Uzbekistan in the second match.
Interestingly, two players on the roster, including starting goalkeeper Kees Sims, play for Swedish third tier side Ljungskile SK, which all feels a bit random, as they are two of just five total players on the roster playing their club ball in Europe.
New Zealand confirmed starting lineup (4-3-3): Sims (GK) β Linder, Hughes, Surman, L. Kelly-Heald β Wallace, McKay, Conchie β Colloty, Herdman, Garbett.
New Zealand subs (10): A. Kelly-Heald (GK), Gray (GK), Karunate, Fay, Jarvie, Supyk, O’Leary, Raj, Manuel, Donkers.
USA vs New Zealand live stream, TV channel
- Date: Tuesday, May 30, 2023
- Time: 1:30 p.m. ET
- TV channel: FS2, Universo
- Streaming: Fubo, Telemundo Deportes en Vivo, Fox Sports site/app
This match between the United States and New Zealand in the Round of 16 at the 2023 U20 FIFA World Cup will take place on Tuesday in Argentina.
Kickoff from the 42,000 seat arena Estadio Malvinas Argentinas will be at 2:30 p.m. local time in Mendoza, which translates to 1:30 p.m. ET in the United States, or 10:30 a.m. PT.
The tournament is televised in the U.S. by Fox Sports (English) and Universo (Spanish), with both channels available to stream on Fubo, which is available on a free trial for new users.
