UNDER-20: U.S. IS IN AFTER VICTORY U-20S ADVANCE TO CHAMPIONSHIPS U.S. 2, PANAMA 0.

Byline: Matt Zimmerman Staff Writer

CARSON - It wasn't easy, it wasn't pretty, and it certainly wasn't without a fight, but the United States under-20 men's national team is through to the FIFA World Youth Championships.

Friday night at Home Depot Center, the Americans had to claw for every advantage against a game Panama team, and won 2-0 thanks to a penalty kick by Freddy Adu and a late strike by second-half substitute Jacob Peterson.

The Americans advance to the world championship for U-20 players, to be held June 10-July 2 in the Netherlands, for the sixth successive tournament.

In a first half that could best be described as sluggish, neither team was able to mount much of an attack. The only shot on goal in a litany of stifled attacks and shots that went harmlessly wide came in the 33rd minute. Panama's Luis Gallardo got free in the U.S. box and unleashed an attempt that goalkeeper Quentin Westberg caught without trouble.

A couple of minutes later, a header by UCLA's Patrick Ianni off a corner kick was easily picked up by Panama goalkeeper Jose Calderon.

The United States finally got on the board in the 55th minute when Will John made a run down the left side of the box and was taken down by Panama defender Jose Venegas, who was issued a yellow card. On the ensuing penalty kick, Adu beat Panama goalie Jose Calderon high and to the right for a 1-0 U.S. advantage.

Adu should have had another goal, as he one-touched home a cross from Chad Barrett in the 61st minute, but the assistant referee held up the flag to indicate offside. Although he was behind the defense when he collected the pass, Adu appeared to be in an onside position, a half-step in front of the last Panama defender, when Barrett played the ball to him, but the head referee waved off the goal anyway.

Peterson's goal came in the 90th minute on a U.S. counterattack after Panama threatened the U.S. goal. Eddie Gaven, who scored three goals in the U.S. victory Wednesday over Trinidad & Tobago, sent a pass to the middle of the box, and Peterson - who recently scored in the NCAA Championship game for Indiana at Home Depot Center - put the ball, and the game, away.

A sparse crowd witnessed the first game of the evening, in which Costa Rica defeated a ragged Trinidad & Tobago team 2-1. Costa Rica controlled the contest from the outset, and took the lead in the eighth minute when Franklin Chacon scored from a pass by Alonso Salazar.

Costa Rica added to its lead in the 62nd minute when Salazar's 21-yard free kick eluded T&T goalkeeper Hasely Holder for a 2-0 advantage.

Matt Zimmerman, [phone]

matt.zimmerman(at)presstelegram.com