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Weah's hat trick leads US over Paraguay 5-0, to U17 QFs

October 16, 2017
Paraguay's Fernando Cardozo heads the ball as US's Timm Weah tackles during their FIFA U-17 World Cup match in New Delhi, India, Monday. — AP
Paraguay's Fernando Cardozo heads the ball as US's Timm Weah tackles during their FIFA U-17 World Cup match in New Delhi, India, Monday. — AP

NEW DELHI — Tim Weah, a son of former world Player of the Year George Weah, scored three goals to lead the United States over Paraguay 5-0 Monday here and into the quarterfinals of the Under-17 World Cup.

Andrew Carleton and Josh Sargent also scored in New Delhi for the Americans, who play England or Japan on Saturday in Goa. The US had not reached the quarterfinals since 2005.

Weah's hat trick was the first for the US at a FIFA men's tournament since Freddy Adu against Poland at the 2007 U-20s, and the first for the American U-17s since Adu versus South Korea in 2003.

Weah is part of the Paris Saint-Germain youth system. His father was FIFA Player of the Year in 1995. Tim Weah put the US ahead in the 19th minute with a left-footed shot from the center of the penalty area after Carleton pushed the ball up field to Ayo Akinola, who one-timed a cross.

Weah doubled the lead with a 22-yard curling shot in the 53rd and Carleton made it 3-0 off a pass from Sargent in the 63rd. Sargent scored from a Carleton pass in the 75th, and Carleton fed Weah for the final goal in the 77th.

American midfielder Chris Durkin got his second yellow card of the tournament and is suspended for the quarterfinal.

Germany too booked their place in the quarterfinals with a convincing 4-0 victory over Colombia here on Monday. The win takes the European side into a last-eight match-up versus Brazil or Honduras in Kolkata on Sunday.

The Germans took the lead in fortuitous circumstances just seven minutes after the start. Colombia goalkeeper Kevin Mier was unable to collect a loose ball at the feet of Jann-Fiete Arp and the Germany captain took advantage by neatly finishing from a tight angle.

Though Colombia pressed forward, every German attack had more potency as the opening half wore on. John Yeboah had several chances to find the scoresheet, with his best opportunity cannoning off the crossbar on 34 minutes. The Europeans would not be denied, though, as Yann Bisseck rose to head home Sahverdi Cetin’s corner from the left to hand a two-goal lead to Germany at the break.

They then sealed their passage to the last eight with another two after the restart. Yeboah converted an Arp pass in the Colombia box on 49 minutes before the captain scored his second of the match to secure a four-goal victory. The only blemish was a yellow card to winger Dennis Jastrzembski that rules him out of Sunday’s quarterfinal through suspension. — AP


October 16, 2017
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