The U.S. Under-20 Men’s National Team kicked off the 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup in historic fashion with a resounding 9-1 win over World Cup debutant New Caledonia at Estadio El Teniente on Monday. As a team, the U.S. set records for most goals scored and largest margin of victory in a U-20 Men’s World Cup match, while captain Benjamin Cremaschi became just the third American player to score three goals in a single match.

The USA’s margin of victory put the team in good position for any tie breaking scenarios. The first tiebreaker in group stage play is goal differential. The USA next face France, who defeated South Africa 2-1 earlier in the day, on Thursday, Oct. 2 (4 p.m. ET; FS2, Universo)

The USA wasted little time getting on the board. Cremaschi got on the scoresheet just two minutes into the match thanks to a Zavier Gozo cross. Just two minutes later, Cremaschi collected a brace after he got to a loose ball in the box and struck a right-footed shot into the top of the net. By the seventh minute, the U.S. had its third goal of the match thanks to a Niko Tsakiris header assisted by Cremaschi.

Despite the constant pressure from the U.S. attack, another goal wouldn’t come until the 28th minute. Brooklyn Raines’ in-swinging corner from the left side found the head of Frankie Westfield, who buried his shot into the far-right side of the net. Fellow defender Nolan Norris extended the lead to 5-0 with a one-touch shot that he tucked inside the right post. Two minutes later, Cremaschi got his hat trick when a failed clearance by the New Caledonia defense fell to him and the U.S. captain hit a one-time shot past keeper Noa Muller to make it 6-0.

Norris rounded out the first half scoring in the 44th minute to make it 7-0 at the interval and also break the previous U.S. record of six goals scored in a U-20 World Cup match.

Things calmed some in the second half, with the USA continuing to dominate possession and keeping the New Caledonia defense on its heels in the defensive third.

After a spell of possession, an eighth goal came in the 68th minute as Westfield collected the ball on the right before centering a low cross that substitute Taha Habroune one-timed inside the lower right post.

The lone blemish for the U.S. came in the 70th minute as goalkeeper Adam Beaudry played a pass straight into the path of New Caledonia’s Antoine Simane, who alertly buried his effort inside the left post to take the score to 8-1.

The USA responded with its final goal four minutes later. Substitute Matthew Corcoran played a nice combination with Cole Campbell on the right, before the attacker cut inside the box and fired a low, left-footed effort that squeezed inside the right post to close the scoring at 9-1.

ADDITIONAL NOTES

The 9-1 win set a new U.S. record for both goals scored and margin of victory in a FIFA U-20 World Cup match. The USA had previously scored six goals on three occasions: 6-0 win vs. Turkiÿe (1993), 6-1 win vs. Poland (2007), 6-0 win vs. New Zealand (2017).

The USA became just the fourth team to score nine goals in a U-20 World Cup match.

Cremaschi became the third U.S. player to record a hat trick at the FIFA U-20 World Cup and first to do so in the first half. Cremaschi joins Chris Faklaris (1993 vs. Turkiÿe) and Freddy Adu (2007 vs. Poland). Overall, Cremaschi finished the game with five goal contributions.

Cremaschi’s hat trick combined with Nolan Norris’ brace also marked the third time the U.S. has had two multi-goal scorers in a U-20 World Cup match, following Faklaris and Miles Joseph (1993 vs. Turkiÿe) and Adu and Danny Szetela (2007 vs. Poland).

With his seventh minute goal, Niko Tsakris’ took his career U-20 World Cup total to two. The attacker previously scored in the USA’s 2-0 win against Slovakia in the group finale of the 2023 tournament.

Frankie Westfield provided a goal and assist.

Substitute Taha Habroune and starter Cole Campbell rounded out the scoring for the USA.

This also marks the second time the USA received goals from six different players in a U-20 World Cup match. The other was the 6-0 win against New Zealand in 2017.

-U.S. UNDER-20 MEN’S NATIONAL TEAM MATCH REPORT-

Match: United States Under-20 Men’s National Team vs. New Caledonia

Date: September 29, 2025

Competition: 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup – Group E

Venue: Estadio El Teniente; Rancagua, Chile

Attendance: 2,000

Kickoff: 7 p.m. ET (8 p.m. local)

Weather: 59 degrees, partly cloudy

Lineups:

USA: 12-Adam Beaudry; 3-Nolan Norris (18-Luca Bombino, 46) 4-Josh Wynder, 16-Ethan Kohler, 17-Frankie Westfield; 8-Benja Cremaschi (Capt.) (19-Matthew Corcoran, 72) 6-Brooklyn Raines (15-Pedro Soma, 46) 10-Niko Tsakiris (14-Taha Habroune 57); 7-Cole Campbell, 9-Marcos Zambrano, 20-Zavier Gozo (13-Peyton Miller, 57)

Substitutes not used: 21-Duran Ferree, 2-Reed Baker-Whiting, 5-Noah Cobb, 11-Luke Brennan
Not available: 1-Gavin Beavers