USA beats Ecuador in stoppage time at U-20 World Cup opener – Winnipeg Free Press

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — A stoppage-time shot gave the United States a 1-0 victory over Ecuador on Saturday in one of the opening games of the FIFA U-20 World Cup.

After little inspiration from both teams in San Juan, left-back Jonathan Gomez fired from the edge of the box a minute before the final whistle to beat goalkeeper Gilmar Napa.

The other two teams in Group B, Slovakia and Fiji, played on Saturday night.

Until Gomez’s goal, the best chance lay on the hour after an embarrassing mistake by Ecuador’s Napa. His clearance hit his defender Christian García in the face. The ball fell to American striker Diego Luna, who shot wide despite an empty goal.

Ecuador, the team of teenage sensation striker Kendry Paez, did not produce a single shot on goal.

The first goal of the tournament came from New Zealand, so Norman Garbett scored the only goal in the 80th minute to beat Guatemala in a Group A match.

Later on Saturday, hosts Argentina faced Asian champions Uzbekistan in Santiago del Estero.

Argentina inherited Indonesia’s place in the tournament as host. Protests in Muslim-majority Indonesia against host Israel forced FIFA to change venues very late. Indonesia does not have formal diplomatic relations with Israel.