Highly hyped midfielder Gedion Zelalem made his US international debut early Tuesday, as a US U-20 national team squad featuring four MLS players defeated Australia 2-1 in a pre-World Cup friendly at Central Coast Stadium in Gosford, Australia.
Having received final approval to represent his adopted country from FIFA last week, Zelalem came on in place of Paul Arriola in the 59th minute and the US staged a comeback almost immediately, with two goals in two minutes from Joel Soñora and Maki Tall. (Zelalem was not directly involved in either one, however, according to the scoresheet.)
Meanwhile, halfway around the world, Zelalem’s manager at English giants Arsenal FC endorsed his teenage playmaker’s decision to represent the US after the London club’s 1-1 draw with Manchester United.
“I leave the freedom to the players to play for the country where their heart is," Wenger said of Zelalem in a postgame press conference. “More and more people have been educated in two or three different countries. He is an interesting case.
“He has been educated until the age of nine or 10 in Germany and after from 10 to 15 in the States. That is maybe the age you grow out of the family and start to have friends at 10-15 and he felt he wanted to play for the States.”
Wenger spoke highly of USMNT boss Jurgen Klinsmann as a positive influence on the German-born, Maryland-raised Zelalem.
“Jurgen has all the knowledge that is needed at the top level,” he said. “He has good experience as a coach as well and it will be fantastic for [Zelalem].”
In Tuesday’s friendly, Tab Ramos’ US squad arranged his starting 11 in a 4-4-2 formation, with the New York Red Bulls’ Matt Miazga partnered with Tottenham’s Cameron Carter-Vickers in central defense, Toronto FC’s Marco Delgado in midfield and San Jose Earthquakes Homegrown Tommy Thompson up top alongside France-based striker Tall. FC Dallas' Kellyn Acosta entered the match for Shaquell Moore at the same time as Zelalem.
The young Yanks fell behind just 15 minutes in as Stefan Mauk converted an Awer Mabil delivery at the near post, but responded quickly as Thompson hit the post twice, once on either side of halftime. Just after the hour mark, Thompson set up Boca Juniors prospect Soñora to hit a bending blast past Australia goalkeeper Jordan Holmes from distance. Less than a minute later, Tall dispossessed a defender and raced in on goal to net the winner.
Ramos’ squad will continue their Australia training camp before flying across the Tasman Sea for a closed-door match against Serbia. They'll begin their World Cup campaign on May 30 in Whangerei, New Zealand vs. Myanmar (midnight ET, FOX Sports 1 and NBC Universo).
The US will also play group-stage matches against the host country on June 2 and Ukraine on June 5, both in Auckland.
