With advancement to the knockout round already secured, the U.S. U-17 Men’s Youth National Team fell 3-0 to France in its final group stage match of the 2023 FIFA U-17 World Cup to finish second in Group E. After a steely effort from the U.S. defense, France’s Joan Tincres netted in the final moments of the first half to open the scoring. The USA held firm for much of the second as they searched for an equalizer, but Les Bleus netted two late goals to put the game out of reach.

The USA will face Germany in the Round of 16 on Tuesday, Nov. 21 at 3:30 a.m. ET (FS1, Telemundo platforms TBC). The top two teams in each of the six groups, as well as the four best third-place teams, advance to the knockout stage of the competition.

The U.S. defense held strong for much of the first half, weathering a number of dangerous French balls into the box. Center backs Noahkai Banks and Stuart Hawkins were kept busy heading away and clearing threatening crosses in, while goalkeeper Duran Ferree, making his first start of the tournament, made three saves on the evening.

The French finally broke through in first-half stoppage time as Mohamed-Amine Bouchenna drove into the box and teed up Tincres for a close-range finish to give Les Bleus the momentum heading into the locker room.

The young Americans also showed flashes in attack throughout the evening. A nice combination between right back Aiden Harangi and wingers Bryce Jamison and David Vazquez set up Taha Habroune for a good look near the penalty spot in the 14th minute, but he fired his shot wide. A nice recovery and run up the middle from Banks in the 22nd set up midfielder Cruz Medina for a hard-rolling shot from the top of the box that was swallowed by French goalkeeper Paul Argney.

Searching for an equalizer after the break, the U.S. nearly found it in the 57th minute. After having another hard-hit shot denied in the 52nd, Medina was stopped on one of the USA’s best opportunities of the night five minutes later. Vazquez sent a cross into the box that rolled past a number of French defenders trying to get a foot on it before falling to the San Jose Earthquakes midfielder, but his well-struck attempt was stopped by Argney and the USA wasn’t able to pounce on the rebound.

Another good look came in the 68th, when the U.S. sent a cross in from the right wing, but Argney arrived to the ball at the same time as onrushing U.S. forward Micah Burton, squashing the danger.

France put the game away in the final 10 minutes of play, with a pair of late goals sealing the result. Tincres bagged his brace in the 82nd, finishing off a shot from the six following a deflection off of a U.S. defender while Bastien Meupiyou capped off the scoring as he headed home a free kick from deep in U.S. territory in the 86th.

GOAL SCORING RUNDOWN
FRA – Joan Tincres (Mohamed-Amine Bouchenna), 45+1st minute: Dribbling down the left side of the field, Tidiane Diallo played to Bouchenna just outside the left side of the box. The forward dribbled towards the net and cut a cross back two yards in front of goal, where Tincres was lurking for the close-range finish past diving U.S. goalkeeper Duran Ferree. FRA 1, USA 0

FRA – Joan Tincres, 82nd minute: Working down the right wing, Yoram Zague sent a bouncing cross towards the penalty spot, where it deflected off a U.S. defender to Tincres near the middle of the six. He quickly controlled the ball and ripped a shot to the right side before another defender could close in to bag his brace and tally the game’s second goal. FRA 2, USA 0

FRA – Bastien Meupiyou (Yanis Issoufou), 86th minute: Serving in a free kick six yards beyond the top left corner of the box, Issoufou sent a booming ball to the middle of the six. Meupiyou rose above the crowd to get his head on the ball. As he fell backwards, he directed the ball to the opposite side of the net, where it bounced off the post and into the back of the net. FRA 3, USA 0 FINAL

U.S. Lineup: Duran Ferree; Aiden Harangi, Stuart Hawkins (Tyler Hall, 71), Noahkai Banks, Tahir Reid-Brown; Matthew Corcoran, Taha Habroune (Paulo Rudisill, 59), Cruz Medina (Capt.); Bryce Jamison (Nimfasha Berchimas, 60), Micah Burton (Keyrol Figueroa, 77), David Vazquez (Peyton Miller, 60)

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