Heartbreak.
The US U-20 national team dropped their quarterfinal match against Serbia in the most painful way imaginable, falling 6-5 in the penalty shootout following a hard-fought and scoreless 120 minutes. With the win, Serbia advance to the semifinal against Mali.
Goalkeeper Zack Steffen kept the US in the game with several big saves during regulation, none more impressive than a sprawling stop of Andrija Zivkovic's free kick midway through the second half. Myriad other Serbian attacks were thwarted by strong performances from central defenders Cameron Carter-Vickers and Matt Miazaga.
On the other end of the field, the US continued their struggles in creating consistent danger, putting together strings of possession but only rarely threatening. The two best chances fell to San Jose Earthquakes attacker Tommy Thompson, who sliced a shot wide in the first half then couldn't quite get the final touch on a spinning, acrobatic left-footed attempt in the second.
The shootout followed on the heels of a relatively uneventful extra time period, and went an interminable nine rounds. Rubio Rubin and John Requejo saw their shots saved, and Joel Soñora and Carter-Vickers missed their shots. Steffen produced two spectacular stops to keep the US in it, before midfielder Nemanja Maksimovic roofed the winner.
Penalty shootout results
SERBIA
- Zdjelar (G)
- Mandic (M)
- Babic (G)
- Grujic (G)
- Zivkovic (G)
- Rajkovic (S)
- Antonov (G)
- Veljkovic (S)
- Maksimovic (G)
USA
- Rubin (S)
- Payne (G)
- Arriola (G)
- Hyndman (G)
- Zelalem (G)
- Soñora (M)
- Delgado (G)
- Carter-Vickers (M)
- Requejo (S)
USA LINEUP
1-Zack Steffen, 17-Desavio Payne, 4-Cameron Carter-Vickers, 5-Matt Miazga; 3-John Requejo, 15-Marky Delgado, 8-Emerson Hyndman (capt.), 19-Gedion Zelalem, 7-Paul Arriola, 13-Tommy Thompson (Joel Soñora, 103'), 9-Rubio Rubin
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Three of the four U-20 World Cup quarterfinals were decided by shootout.
The semifinals are now set, with Brazil facing Senegal and Serbia taking on Mali on Wednesday, June 17.
The US have not made the semifinals since 1989.
