U17 MNT Advances at Concacaf Championship

by Travis Clark

February 19, 2023

Players featured in this article:

	Stuart Hawkins \| 2025 D \| Seattle Sounders
	Ezekiel Soto \| 2025 F \| Charleston Battery

It took the U.S. U17 MNT 20 minutes to click to life.

But once the attack did, the U.S. didn't look back, beating the Dominican Republic by a 7-0 score in the Round of 16 at the Concacaf Championship. Three players scored two goals apiece, as Keyrol Figueroa, Christopher Aquino and substitute Ezekiel Soto accounted for six of the seven goals. Micah Burton was the fourth goal scorer on the day.

Aquino started the scoring in the 22nd minute. Taha Habroune picked out Aquino at the top of the box, who was open thanks to excellent off-ball movment from Figueroa. When the DR defense didn't close down the Seattle attacker, Aquino smashed home the opener with his left foot.

Eight minutes later, Aquino won and converted a penalty kick to extended the lead to 2-0. Burton tested the DR goalkeeper from a free kick in the 33rd minute. By the halftime whistle, Keyrol Figueroa made it a three-goal lead slotting home his first goal of the day from just inside the six-year box.

Making his first start for the U17, Figueroa added his second in the 57th minute. Paulo Rudisill was the architect, as no one closed him down as he glided into the box on the ball. He found Figueroa who quickly controlled the pass and fired home.

Rudisill setup Burton for his 62nd minute strike, beating defender out wide and crossed to the Austin FC midfielder who was crashing the far post, and he slotted home.

Two goals from Soto in the final eight minutes rounded out the scoring. Adrian Gill crossed to a wide-open Soto for the first; Brian Romero hit a cross to the forward who found himself open again to get his second of the game.

The U.S. advances to face Guatemala on Tuesday night with a chance to secure World Cup qualification.

Adam Beaudry; Oscar Verhoeven, Christian Diaz, Stuart Hawkins, Sawyer Jura (Adrian Gill); Pedro Soma (Edwyn Mendoza), Taha Habroune, Chris Aquino; Micah Burton (Brian Romero), Keyrol Figueroa (Ezekiel Soto), Paulo Rudisill (David Vazquez)

🎦 Enjoy the best moments of @USYNT 🇺🇸 against @sedofutbol 🇩🇴 in the #CU17C Round of 16! pic.twitter.com/9I7tAIEABa
— Concacaf (@Concacaf) February 19, 2023