USA U-17 Team Faces Morocco in Historic Knockout Match

DOHA, Qatar (Nov. 14, 2025) — The United States U-17 national soccer team enters the Round of 16 of the U-17 World Cup with an impressive perfect record of three wins in three matches. They will face Morocco, a team known for its recent historic victory of 16-0 against New Caledonia.

Gonzalo Segares, the USMNT coach, will lead his squad into a challenging bout against Morocco, who recently won the U-20 World Cup and eliminated the USMNT in that tournament. This knockout match is particularly significant, as it represents a chance for redemption in a lower age category.

This matchup will be the first between the two teams at the U-17 World Cup level, although previous encounters in youth tournaments have favored Morocco. Nevertheless, the USMNT is riding high after a 1-0 victory against the Czech Republic, concluding the group stage with only one goal conceded.

The USA finished the group stage with nine points, defeating Burkina Faso (1-0), Tajikistan (2-1), and the Czech Republic (1-0). Their standout player, Cavan Sullivan, has contributed to three of the team’s four goals, showcasing his importance to the squad.

Morocco, while finishing their group stage with just three points, made headlines with their record-setting win against New Caledonia. They previously lost to Japan (2-0) and Portugal (6-0), making their performance in their last match even more unexpected.

Segares’ team is nearly injury-free, highlighting their solid fitness and team cohesion as they prepare for the crucial contest, scheduled to kick off at 11:45 a.m. ET on Saturday at Aspire Zone – Pitch 7 in Doha. Key players for the USA include Mathis Albert, who scored the decisive goal in their last match, and a robust defensive unit that has helped maintain strength throughout the tournament.

Morocco’s coach will likely rely on core players like Abdellah Ouazane to rise to the occasion in this high-stakes game. As both teams eye a victory, fans are eager to see how this matchup unfolds.