The United States U20 traveled to Wellington to take on the hosts of the FIFA U20 World Cup, New Zealand, knowing that victory would secure a berth into the Round of 16.
It turned out to be an easy encounter and smooth sailing for the Americans as a brace from Rubio Rubin and goals from Emerson Hyndman and Paul Arriola were able to secure victory for the Yanks.
The first half became quite offensive for the away side as various chances were made inside the first few minutes. It would be as early as the sixth minute for the United States to score first off a Rubio Rubin goal. Following an Emerson Hyndman corner, the ball was headed off the post by Cameron Carter-Vickers, before falling to Bradford Jamieson, who fires a low shot into the far corner, and Rubio Rubin is there to put it past the New Zealand goalkeeper Oliver Sail off his deflection.
Various chances continued to be made by the away side as Marco Delgado fired a shot from distance that just rolls past the post of Sail and a big save by the Kiwi following a curling shot by Carter-Vickers all within the first 15 minutes.
New Zealand did have their chances however. In the 20th minute, Zack Steffen came off his line to punch a floated ball into the box, while seven minutes later Tuiloma's free kick from about 25 yards out went soaring past Steffen's goal.
The United States would double their lead in the 33rd minute from Hyndman. As Zack Steffen played a ball into the offensive zone. Jamieson flicked the ball into the path of Rubin. Sail came off his line but Rubin's ball was bounced back to Hyndman as he able to calmly put the ball into the empty net.
The United States continued to go forward as Carter-Vickers' shot again was saved by Sail for the last big chance the Americans after 45 minutes. In the second half, Rubin had another good effort in 1-on-2 situation. He finds the space and fired a shot, only for Sail to go down and get the stop. New Zealand's chances were there in an effort to try to stage a comeback as Joel Steven's crossing attempt went well over the bar and out for a goal kick on the few chances the Kiwis had compared to the Americans.
The United States would get their third goal from Arriola. Arsenal's Gedion Zelalem was able to play a ball to him as he turned and fired a shot that went off the far post and into the net past Sail to secure victory for the Americans. New Zealand kept attacking however as Monty Patterson was unable to get a chance on goal off his shot, while goalkeeper Zackary Steffen had to tested a bit following an chance by Noah Billingsley, only for it to be easily saved by the American goalkeeper.
They would secure that 27 minutes later off Rubio Rubin once again. Following a low cross by Russell Payne and a mistake by the New Zealand defense, Rubin was able to shoot it easily past the goalkeeper and secure a spot into the Round of 16 having gotten the six points from the two wins as they now take on Ukraine, while the hosts look for a chance to qualify taking on minnows Myanmar.