Philadelphia Union homegrown Quinn Sullivan needed less than a half to put on a show as he led the U.S. Under-20 Men’s National Team to First Place in Group Play of the 2022 Concacaf U-20 Championship.
Three homegrowns from the Boys in Blue got the start in the Group E finale with Sullivan starting alongside Brandan Craig and Paxten Aaronson against Cuba. Sullivan got the Stars and Stripes off to a roaring start, bagging his first goal just two minutes in the match with a back post finish from a Caden Clark cross. Sullivan doubled the U.S.'s advantage in the eighth minute of the Union finishing off a counter attack that was sparked by an Aaronson pass.
The Union connection was on display one more time before the half with Aaronson flicking a perfectly placed volley over an offsides trap that has Sullivan off on a breakaway. With just the keeper to beat, the 18-year-old remained calm to slot it pass the keeper for the hat trick.
With Group Play in the mirror now, the U.S. now turns its attention to getting berths in the FIFA U-20 World Cup and 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. The tournament’s top four teams secure berths to the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Indonesia, while the two finalists also qualify for the 2024 Olympics, a stage the US haven't reached since 2008. The U.S. starts the path with a Round of 16 matchup against Nicaragua on Saturday, June 25 (8:30 pm ET).
