ATL UTD 2’s James Donaldson keeps clean sheet for U.S. U-17s in World Cup qualifying opener

The United States U-17 men’s national team’s quest for a 20th World Cup appearance got off to a strong start on Thursday in Concacaf qualifying as they cruised past host St. Vincent and the Grenadines 8-0. Atlanta United 2 goalkeeper James Donaldson, who will become a Homegrown Player in 2027, started for the Americans and kept a clean sheet.

The LA Galaxy’s Aaron Medina opened the scoring in the sixth minute before Damarion Peterson’s own goal at the quarter-hour mark made it a 2-0 USA lead. Medina added goals in the 28th and 37th minutes to complete his first-half hat trick as the U.S. went into the locker room up 4-0. In the second half, Red Bull New York’s Paul Sokoloff added a pair in the 61st and 66th minutes before the Philadelphia Union’s Malik Jakupovic completed the scoring in the 71st and 87th minutes.

Donaldson didn’t have much to do in goal, stopping all three of the St. Vincent shots he faced.

Thirty-two teams in the qualifying tournament are split into eight groups, with the U.S. in Group E with St. Vincent, the Dominican Republic, and St. Kitts and Nevis. The winner of each group advances to November’s 48-team U-17 World Cup in Qatar. The U.S., all but a shoo-in to win its group, faces St. Kitts on Saturday at 7 p.m. before wrapping up qualifying against the Dominican Republic on Tuesday at 1 p.m. Both matches will be televised on FS2.