DALLAS — Overcoming a deficit against a talented and highly motivated River Plate team twice in the same tournament was too tall a task for Tab Ramos’ U.S. U20s on Sunday.

Goals on either side of the break by Lucas Boye steered the young reserves from one of Argentina’s heavyweight clubs past the United States U20s in Sunday’s Super Group final of the Dr Pepper Dallas Cup. The 2-0 win for River Plate came at a rain-soaked Cotton Bowl, the very same historic stadium where the United States overcame a one-goal deficit eight days ago as the very same teams met to open group play, that match finishing in a controversial 3-2 U.S. win.

A late, potential equalizer for River Plate was incorrectly ruled offside in that tournament opener – hence the built-in motivation for River Plate on the second bite of this particular U.S. apple.

Sunday’s match was delayed twice by lightning, once at halftime (which was extended by 30 extra minutes) and then again early in the second half. Ramos’ team looked quite a bit sharper after intermission but could not overcome wholly the uninspiring first half.

“To be honest, I think we were out of gas,” Ramos said of a team that had just played its fifth match in eight days. “We’re not used to playing this many competitive games. Most of our players aren’t in competitive environments where we get a lot [of games strung close together] like this. In particular South American teams, they play all the time.”

Striker Ben Spencer, who had a lively and productive tournament, came close to scoring as the United States pressed for the second half equalizer, and then did score on a scramble in front of the Argentine goal, only to have that one waved off.

But inability to pass through midfield kept Ramos’ team from ever establishing control, so the young U.S. men finished the prestigious tournament with wins over River Plate, Germany’s Eintracht Frankfurt, Mexico’s Tigres and Brazil’s Fluminense in addition to Sunday’s loss in the final. Ramos, while disappointed not to win a championship, said his group did exactly what it needed in the bigger picture.

“It was a great week here,” he said. “I couldn’t have painted a better picture. What we wanted was to play five competitive games and we did that, and I have a pretty good idea of the beginning of what our roster will look like come January [in CONCACAF qualifying]."

Little went right for the United States in the first 45. Jordan Allen, playing along the left in a 4-2-3-1 arrangement, left after 36 minutes on what appeared to be a non-contact injury. Just after that Michael Amick, tried as a left back earlier in the tournament but back into his more natural center back position, limped off; he was the victim of a tough tackle by Boye, who was cautioned.

In fact, it was Amick on defense as Juan Kaprof backed in and held off the U.S. center back near American goal 10 minutes before halftime. A trio of U.S. defenders couldn’t clear the ball, leaving the opportunity for Boye to swoop in and work somehow through that tangle of U.S. defenders, eventually converting past goalkeeper Zackary Steffen from close range.

Boye and Kaprof have both seen limited time with River Plate’s senior team.

The injuries forced Ramos to shuffle on the fly, moving Jesus Vasquez from defensive midfield, where he had started alongside Lynden Gooch, to center back. Luis Felipe took his spot in the middle. Meanwhile, Zach Pfeffer took over along the left for Allen.

Not that there was much going on for the U.S. attackers. What little thrust the United States could generate early came up the right, where Rubio Rubin and outside back Shaquell Moore managed to combine here and there to create a few half chances.

Around a steady trickle of chances for the Argentines, about the only thing that did go right for Ramos’ squad was Vasquez still being on the field. He could have easily seen red for a lunging, two-footed tackle in the 11th minute. 

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So this is the core of the group that will Ramos will send to CONCACAF qualifying for the 2015 Under-20 World Cup (and then on to the tournament itself if things go right). Ramos started 20 different players, leaning in to observe some in different positions.

It’s back to college, to overseas teams or to domestic clubs now for the U.S. players. Meanwhile, Ramos now turns bigger attention to his recent appointment alongside Jurgen Klinsmann on the national team staff ahead of a certain high-stakes summer trip into Brazil. He retains his U20 post, now pulling double duty and admitting this week that he works “from the time I open my eyes in the morning until the time I go to sleep.”

Ramos wasn’t just able to see a number of players, he could watch them in a variety of tactical arrangements. At various times during the week, the U.S. manager had his teams in a 4-3-3, a 4-4-2 with a diamond midfield and then on Sunday in a 4-2-3-1.

And he certainly spent time establishing expectations and best-practice team tenets for the cycle – the qualifying and championships in New Zealand – ahead. 

“Every day he pushes us to push forward and get into the attack and find goals,” Rubin said before Sunday’s match. “We don’t settle for one goal, we don’t settle for two. We keep going. We keep pushing forward. We really like that kind of momentum, and this is our first tournament together, so I’m really looking forward to the future and working more with Tab.”