U-17s Defeat Malawi

It wasn't pretty, but Wilmer Cabrera's squad were able to take all three points from Malawi earlier today in their second group stage match of the 2009 U-17 World Cup. The result, coupled with Spain's victory over the UAE, means that the US control their own destiny. A win against the UAE on Sunday would guarantee them a place in the knockout round.

The US didn't put forth one of their most impressive efforts, struggling to finish and really take control of the match. In the first half, the US dominated possession and had a slew of corners, one of which led to a thumping header from Jack McInerney that was somehow kept out by a reaction save by the Malawi keeper. Despite controlling the first half, though, the two sides went to the locker room with the score level.

In the second half, the breakthrough finally came, as Alex Shinsky was able to find the back of the net in the 54th minute. The play started with a crafty backheel flick from Luis Gil to set up Marlon Duran for a quick shot inside the box. The rebound bounced out to just past the penalty spot, and Shinsky hit a side volley on target. The shot went straight at the Malawi keeper, but slipped through his arms and squeezed between his legs, trickling across the line to give the US a 1-0 lead. The US would not relinquish the lead, as the scoreline finished at 1-0.

Though they got the result they needed, the US did not look like a team capable of making a deep run in this tournament. While two games aren't enough to completely write them off, it's safe to say that they have not looked like one of the better teams in the field. And if they play against the UAE like they played today, they will struggle to get the win that would automatically put them through.

Some notable lineup and tactical decisions in this match included Stefan Jerome not seeing the field and Carlos Martinez coming on as a second half sub. Jerome struggled to make an impact in the opener against Spain and really made a mess of his best opportunity to score, and consequently he was left out of the starting XI by Cabrera. With the possibility that the game on Sunday could be the US' last in this tournament, Jerome will hope to impress enough in training to earn back at least a substitutes appearance, as this stage provides an invaluable opportunity to catch the attention of numerous foreign scouts.

Martinez, meanwhile, was banished from the team about one year ago by Wilmer Cabrera for breaking undisclosed team rules. At the time, it seemed like the midfielder's hopes of competing in the U-17 World Cup were dashed. Martinez, however, was welcomed back to the team and made amends with Cabrera. And today, he did what seemed like an impossibility just one year ago: he played in the U-17 World Cup. The skillful attacker came on in the 66th minute for Alex Shinsky. Martinez surely learned a great deal and matured because of what happened last October, and it's good to see such a promising prospect back in the youth national team fold.

The US finish off group play on Sunday with a matchup against the UAE, who currently sit second in Group E. The match will be on ESPNU and ESPN360.com at 10:00 AM ET.