DALLAS — The United States U20 MNT seized control early, merged temporarily into the “just hanging on” thing but finished with a flourish and finally found a way past Brazil’s Fluminense for a 3-2 win. The U.S. will play Sunday for the Dr Pepper Dallas Cup’s top crown.

Ben Spencer

Tab Ramos’ team went ahead by a pair of goals within the first 20 minutes but then played a man down for 40-plus minutes after the break – while clinging to a 2-1 lead – only to concede the late equalizer in the third minute of stoppage time. Once Fluminense was similarly reduced to 10 men, the United States re-discovered its attack and took advantage on Rubio Rubin’s penalty kick in the 13th minute of extra time, extending its run in the prestigious youth tournament.

The 3-2 win puts Ramos’ team into Sunday’s final inside the historic Cotton Bowl (6 p.m. CT, Time Warner Sports). It will be a rematch against the young reserves from Argentine power River Plate. The South Americans were quite unlucky not to draw on Sunday inside the same stadium, scoring a late equalizer against the United States, but one incorrectly ruled offside. The United States posted a 3-2 win, but River Plate will certainly remember an evenly contested contest – one where the Argentines held a 2-1 lead in the second half. 

“This is a learning week for us,” Ramos said. “If I would have thought of playing it this way, I would have painted it this exact way. I think we learned so much as a team. I think what we did for the 35 minutes, the way we held our own with 10 players, that’s a learning experience for us that will carry us through the cycle. I couldn’t have taught that in practice.

“The good news is that we were prepared for that. So, I felt like the team was very, very organized. And then obviously the result is the icing on the cake.”

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Tab Ramos’ team went ahead early Friday on goals by Rubin and Ben Spencer just four minutes apart. Spencer’s header off Romain Gall’s expertly placed free kick left the United States with a 2-0 lead after just 20 minutes. 

But Ramos’ young men conceded just before the break, and then went down to 10 men four minutes after the intermission. Strong work by center backs Matthew Miazga and Michael Amick paced a stout second-half effort, but a free header at the near post forced the United States into another 20 minutes of play.

Jordan Allen, among the second-half subs, earned a penalty kick three minutes into the second extra period. Rubin’s initial spot shot was parried, but his second attempt (and team-leading fourth goal) was the difference. 

Fluminense arrived into Friday’s semifinal via first-round group play wins over Anderlecht and the LA Galaxy and a draw with Mexico’s Chivas. But sharp U.S. attacking play put the Brazilians in trouble early.

Rubin’s footprints were all over the first U.S. goal, which was his third of the tournament. His entry pass began the telling, 14th-minute sequence. Faithfully continuing his run put Rubin on the end of Zach Pfeffer’s diagonal through ball, which the recent Utrecht signing finished calmly to put his team ahead.

John Requejo Jr. was cut down attempted to dribble between two Brazilian defenders four minutes later. Spencer shook free of his mark and was completed uncontested as he drove home Gall’s precision restart.

Rubin has played extensively in the tournament, shining throughout. He’ll be on the field again Sunday, never mind all the great work over the past six days.

“It’s hard to take him off the field because he just keeps running,” Ramos said. “It seems like if the game would have gone 30 more minutes, he would have kept running. I going to have a conversation with him, we’ll have a conversation with the fitness coach, we’ve been tracking him. The days off have really been days off. I think he’s in a good place. He’s a young player, I think he’s going to be OK.”

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