U.S. Under-20 Team Sets Record with 9-1 Victory in World Cup Opener

RANCAGUA, Chile – The U.S. Under-20 Men’s National Team opened the 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup with a stunning 9-1 win over New Caledonia at Estadio El Teniente on September 29. This victory marked the largest margin in the tournament’s history for the U.S. team.

Midfielder Benjamin Cremaschi, who is on loan from Inter Miami, shone brightly, scoring a hat trick in the first half and contributing two assists. The offensive effort was a team effort, with Niko Tsakiris, Frankie Westfield, and Nolan Norris among the other goal scorers.

Cremaschi wasted no time getting the action started, netting his first goal just two minutes into the match. He followed up quickly with another goal just two minutes later, making the score 2-0. By the seventh minute, Tsakiris had extended the lead to 3-0 with a header from a Cremaschi assist.

As the half continued, the U.S. pushed their lead to 7-0 before the break. Westfield scored in the 28th minute from a corner, and both Norris and Cremaschi found the net again before halftime. The first half concluded with a historic record of seven goals for the U.S.

In the second half, Westfield added another assist, helping substitute Taha Habroune score in the 68th minute. New Caledonia got one goal back when Antoine Simane capitalized on a defensive mistake, but the U.S. capped the match when Cole Campbell scored in the 73rd minute, finalizing the score at 9-1.

This performance not only sets a new record for the U.S. but also illustrates their strength as they prepare for their next match against France on October 2. The U.S. remains focused on goal differential as a crucial factor for potential tiebreakers in the group stage.