Football
ESPN staff 7y

United States U17s beat Brazil 3-0 in international friendly competition

The United States Under-17 team beat the Brazil U17s 3-0 on Sunday to win the Nike International Friendlies competition in Lakewood Ranch, Florida. 

Ayo Akinola, Josh Sargent and Timothy Weah scored for manager John Hackworth's team, as they finished the friendly tournament 3-0 to win the title.

Speaking after the match, Hackworth told U.S. Soccer: "I was in this job previously in my career and I've talked about it a lot, our soccer and tactical understanding are getting better.

"The players are technical enough now that we can play against the best teams in the world and in some cases, not only compete with them on a technical and tactical side, but be successful like we were this week.

"I don't like to put results and development together as one, but it is an important part of the process that you learn how to be successful, in these games and tournaments."

The win against Brazil combined with convincing wings against Turkey and Portugal in its previous two matches takes the U17 team's record to 19-4-6 for the 2016 season and left Hackworth feeling positive ahead of the upcoming year for the team.

"We work very hard, but with the idea that we're going to get better individually and with the idea that collectively, as a team, we are going to be able to go and compete," he said.

"It's everybody at U.S. Soccer, especially from the Development Academy to the Youth National Teams, that we believe we can be successful in a World Cup one day. We are very connected in that goal and I just think in this little snapshot that you see some good signs of progress."

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