USA U-20s Strike Late, Defeat France 3-0 at World Cup

Jonathan Turner
Oct 3
2 min read

NATIONAL SOCCER NEWS: www.nationalsoccernetwork.com

SANTIAGO, Chile (Oct. 2, 2025) – Three late goals lifted the United States Under-20 Men’s National Team past France, 3-0, in a decisive group stage match at the FIFA U-20 World Cup on Thursday night.

The victory not only stunned one of Europe’s top youth sides but also secured the U.S. a place in the knockout rounds of the tournament.

A Tight Match Until the End

For much of the evening, the contest was evenly fought. France dictated stretches of possession and forced the Americans to defend in numbers, but goalkeeper Adam Beaudry and the U.S. back line held firm.

The breakthrough finally arrived in the 85th minute, when Zavier Gozo slotted home a finish after a quick counterattack. Just three minutes later, Brooklyn Raines doubled the advantage, taking advantage of space at the top of the box. The U.S. sealed the result in stoppage time, as Marcos Zambrano converted to make it 3-0.

Tournament Impact

The win leaves the U.S. unbeaten in group play, assuring advancement to the Round of 16. France, a perennial favorite in youth competition, now faces a must-win scenario in their final group game to keep knockout hopes alive.

Looking Ahead

The U.S. will close out group play later this week, looking to build momentum and carry confidence into the knockout rounds. With a balanced roster and growing confidence under head coach Mikey Varas, the Americans have shown they can compete with the world’s best.

Box Score

FIFA U-20 World Cup – Group StageUnited States 3, France 0Estadio Nacional, Santiago, Chile – Oct. 2, 2025

Scoring Summary

85’ – USA – Zavier Gozo
88’ – USA – Brooklyn Raines
90+2’ – USA – Marcos Zambrano

Match Stats

Category	USA	France
Shots (on goal)	11 (6)	14 (5)
Possession	46%	54%
Fouls	12	15
Yellow Cards	2	1
Red Cards	0	0
Corners	4	6
Saves	5	3

USA Starting XI: Beaudry; Halliday, Verhoeven, McFarlane, Hawkins; Raines, Medina, Vargas; Luna, Gozo, Zambrano.France Starting XI: Lisandru; Yoro, Keita, Gomis, Turpin; Doué, Meupiyou, Ngoumou; Cherki, Ehua, Zaire-Emery.