WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Goakeeper Zack Steffen spared a 81st-moment punishment to turn into the saint of the United States’ 1-0 win over Colombia, which pushed it into the Under-20 World Cup quarterfinals on Wednesday.
The main objective came after almost 60 minutes, when Rubio Rubin rifled in a shot from short proximity.
It came against the keep running of play, as Colombia played imaginatively with an overflow of ownership all through the first half and toward the begin of the second.
The U.S. conveyed its slim lead towards fulltime until the 81st, when Kelly Perryn-Acosta went head to head with Rodin Quinones in the punishment region, yielding a punishment and gathering a second yellow card which departed his group with 10 men.
Obligation regarding taking the punishment tumbled to Jarlan Barrera, who took as much time as required before pointing his spot kick at the base left corner. There was little power in the shot, and Steffen, who got its objective accurately, tossed himself on his right side and parried the ball away.
The out-kept an eye on U.S. still needed to retain a tremendous measure of weight in the most recent minutes. The Americans had the capacity stick further bolstering their good fortune and, at the last shriek, procure a spot in their first quarterfinals since 2007, inverse Serbia on Sunday.
“Our goalkeeper clutched our win against a prevailing Colombian side,” mentor Tab Ramos said.
“Both groups could have won it, and our rivals pushed every one of us the route to the last shriek. They never surrendered however we gave it our best shot to stop them.”
Despite the fact that the first half was scoreless, it was loaded with activity. Colombia played quick paced and intricate, defining complex assaulting developments which the U.S. was regularly simply unable to separate.
The U.S. endured a generous early setback in the 12th when forward Bradford Jamieson was conveyed from the field after a genuine harm. That extended the assets of the U.S., which lost Maki Tall to a softened foot up its opening diversion.
Colombia had its two best risks, through Barrera and Santos Borre, quickly before halftime. They continued in comparative disposition and Borre was denied by Steffen right on time in the second half, as was Steven Lucumi, who was put into space by Alexis Zapata.
It was against that tide that Rubin scored his third objective of the competition, taking full favorable position when the ball redirected to him 10 meters from objective.
Colombia’s equalizer appeared to be inescapable when the punishment was honored. Steffen’s recovery lifted U.S. spirits, and they played with show determination to the end.
