U.S. U-20 Men’s National Team beats Italy 3-0 in FIFA U-20 World Cup Round of 16

RANCAGUA, Chile – The U.S. U-20 Men’s National Team utilized a 15th minute goal from captain Benjamin Cremaschi, a 79th minute free kick from Niko Tsakris and another goal from Cremaschi in the third minute of second-half stoppage time to claim a well-earned 3-0 win against Italy in the 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup Round of 16 match at Estadio El Teniente. (HIGHLIGHTS)

With the result, the USA has beaten both France and Italy by 3-0 scores in this tournament and advanced to its fifth-straight FIFA U-20 World Cup Quarterfinal where it will face the winner of Thursday’s other match between Morocco-Korea Republic at Estadio Teniente in Rancagua on Sunday, Oct. 12 at 4 p.m. ET (FOX Soccer Plus, Universo, Peacock).

Primed to bounce back after the 2-1 defeat to South Africa, U.S. head coach Marko Mitrović made seven changes to the lineup that started Sunday’s group finale and the teams played relatively even through the early part of the match.

The stalemate nearly broke in the eighth minute as the first dangerous chances came from Italy. Attacker Mattia Mosconi earned some space on the right flank and swung in a cross that swerved with the wind before it clanged off the left post and was cleared away for a corner kick. On the ensuing take, the ball found its way to Christian Corradi whose snap header was well-saved by U.S. ‘keeper Adam Beaudry.

The USA staved off that early danger and then built up to the first goal. In the 14^th minute, a cross from the left found Zavier Gozo at the far post. He settled and touched the ball to the top of the penalty box for Cremaschi and the U.S. captain fired a first time effort that was turned out for a corner kick by Italy ‘keeper Jacopo Seghetti. On the ensuring corner kick, Tsakiris hit a service from the right that was headed down by Nolan Norris, forcing another save from Seghetti, but Cremaschi was there on the doorstep to poke home the rebound and claim his fourth goal of the tournament.

Italy came close in the 35^th minute as Mattia Mannini did well to break through the U.S. midfield before sliding a ball to Cristian Cama on the left. His first-time cross was nodded up in the air, before falling for Jamal Iddrissou whose effort from the ground was well-held by Beaudry.

Italy pressed hard on the U.S. back line in the 42^nd minute and nearly unlocked the defense before Beaudry’s low clearance made it to midfield where the U.S. found it had numbers in transition. Tsakiris possessed the ball in the center circle and sent Cole Campbell in one-on-one with an Italy defender. The winger drove toward the end line before attempting a chip that sailed just wide of the left post in the 42^nd minute and the U.S. went into the locker room holding on to a 1-0 halftime lead.

The first 15 minutes of the second half was mostly devoid of opportunities, but Italy provided the first danger on the hour mark as Mannini picked up a loose ball from 25 yards out and fired a bouncing effort that Beaudry gobbled up. Italy continued to threaten and in the 73^rd minute Javison Idele drove in a dangerous cross from the right that Beaudry stretched out at full extension to claim at the back post.

The USA bit back in the 75^th minute as substitute Luke Brennan chased down a through ball on the right and stretched to send in low cross into the box. An Italy defender deflected it out of the area, but it eventually fell for Tsakiris who unleashed a knuckling blast that forced Seghetti to make a diving save to his right and push the ball out for a corner kick.

After threatening just moments before, Tsakiris bagged the USA’s second. The U.S. midfielder earned the dead ball after being fouled just outside the penalty area on the left in the 78^th minute. Both he and Cremaschi stood over the ball and the U.S. captain looked like he would take it, but instead Tsakiris stepped up and hit a curling left-footed effort that bent around the left side of Italy wall and tucked inside the left post to make it 2-0. It was a brilliant set play finish.

Italy pushed hard to get back in the game and requested not one but two plays to be reviewed by the Video Support System for penalty kicks, but both were correctly denied by the center ref.

The young Americans ended any Italian hope in the third minute of stoppage time when Brennan unlocked the Italian defense with a square ball from the right and then sent Cremaschi in on goal. He lifted the ball over the onrushing goalkeeper and into the center of the goal from about 11 yards out to seal the match and the berth in the tournament’s final eight nations. 

ADDITIONAL NOTES:

• With the result, the USA advances to the U-20 World Cup quarterfinals for the eighth time and fifth-straight, in a run that dates back to the 2015 tournament.  The U.S. will stay in Rancagua to face the winner of Thursday’s final Round of 16 match between Morocco and Korea Republic on Sunday, Oct. 12 at 4 p.m. ET.
• Captain Benjamin Cresmachi’s brace marked his fourth and fifth goals of the tournament, setting a new U.S. record for goals at a single U-20 World Cup. The previous record was jointly held by Taylor Twellman (1999), Eddie Johnson (2003), Josh Sargent (2017) and Sebastian Soto (2019).
• Niko Tsakiris bagged his second of the tournament and third overall in U-20 World Cup play.
• Goalkeeper Adam Beaudry made three saves to keep his second clean sheet of the tournament.
• Marko Mitrović made seven changes to the Starting XI that faced South Africa on Sunday, with goalkeeper Adam Beaudry, defender Josh Wynder, midfielder Benjamin Cremaschi and forward Zavier Gozo as the four holdovers.
• Beaudry, Cremaschi and Wynder are the only U.S. players to start all four matches at the U-20 World Cup.
• The USA moves to 8W-14L-4D in 26 matches against UEFA competition at the U-20 World Cup and is 9W-12L-1D in 22 knockout round matches in the tournament.

-U.S. UNDER-20 MEN’S NATIONAL TEAM MATCH REPORT-

Match: United States Under-20 Men’s National Team vs. Italy
Date: October 9, 2025
Competition: 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup – Round of 16
Venue: Estadio El Teniente; Rancagua, Chile
Attendance: 6,598
Kickoff: 3:30 p.m. ET (4:30 p.m. local)
Weather: 76 degrees, clear

Lineups: 

USA: 12-Adam Beaudry; 17-Frankie Westfield, 16-Ethan Kohler, 4-Josh Wynder, 3-Nolan Norris (2-Reed Baker-Whiting 87); 8-Benjamin Cremaschi (Capt.), 6-Brooklyn Raines, 10-Niko Tsakiris (19-Matthew Corcoran 87); 20-Zavier Gozo (11-Luke Brennan 72), 14-Taha Habroune (9-Marcos Zambrano, 72), 7-Cole Campbell (13-Peyton Miller, 60)

Substitutes not used: 1-Gavin Beavers, 21-Duran Ferree, 5-Noah Cobb, 15-Pedro Soma, 18-Luca Bombino

Head coach: Marko Mitrović

ITA: 12-Jacopo Seghetti, 2-Javison Idele (13-Emanuel Benjamín, 85) , 3-Cristian Cama, 4-Christian Corradi, 5-Andrea Natali, 8-Mattia Mannini, 11-Mattia Mosconi (10-Marco Romano, 57), 15-Francesco Verde (9-Ismaël Konaté, 78), 17-Jamal Iddrissou (20-Mattia Liberali 46), 19-Alvin Okoro, 21-Lorenzo Riccio (14-Emanuele Sala, 57)

Substitutes not used: 1-Alessandro Nunziante, 18-Lapo Siviero, 7-Jacopo Sardo, , 16-Alessandro Berretta
Not available: 6-Wisdom Amey

Head coach: Carmine Nunziata

Stats Summary: USA / ITA
Shots: 10 / 7
Shots on Goal: 5 / 3
Saves: 3 / 2
Corner Kicks: 3 / 8
Fouls: 18 / 15
Offside: 0 / 1

Misconduct Summary:
USA – Nolan Norris (Caution)                    64^th minute

Officials:
Referee: Gustavo Tejera (URU)
Assistant Referee 1: Carlos Barreiro (URU)
Assistant Referee 2: Agustin Berisso (URU)
Fourth Official: Omar Abdulkadir Artan (SOM)