ATLANTA, GEORGIA—Atlanta United’s young player Tyler Wolff scored one of the six goals of the U.S. Under-20 Men’s Youth National Team in their 6-0 win over the Dominican Republic in the 2022 Concacaf U-20 Championship Final on Sunday evening at Estadio Olimpico Metropolitano in San Pedro Sula, Honduras.
Wolff scored the first goal in their win that secured their berths to the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup and 2024 Olympic Games.
This is also USMNT’s third consecutive regional title at this level after taking home its first two Concacaf championships in 2017 and 2018.
Earlier, Wolff said he is happy that coach Gonzalo Pineda gave him his usual position while still playing in the team’s academy and Atlanta United 2. He said Pineda tasked him to become an attacking midfield last year instead of his central midfield position. “That’s where I had my success to get my opportunity here,” Wolff said. As an attacking midfielder, Wolff works in spaces and runs behind defensive lines.
Now that he returns to his old position, Wolff hopes he can get more playing time this year. “I think that’s what everybody wants, they want to be on the field,” he said. “But I think I need to prove to Gonzalo that I can do it day in and day out at training. And then when I get my minutes, making sure I’m creating chances so that I can be on the field with the first team,” he added.
Last season, Wolff made seven appearances, including two starts, with the first team. Pineda, for his part, is happy with the way Wolff performs in their training. “I was pleased, especially with Tyler in the movement behind the lines, his positioning in between the lines, playing as a 10,” Pineda said.
