The four-time reigning champions United States will be aiming for a 35th straight U17 World Cup victory as they face off against 2012 third-place finishers Croatia for the first time in the history of the competition.
Don Showalter’s USA team has wreaked havoc on opponents to the tune of 35.3 turnovers forced a game. That doesn’t bode well considering Croatia is third-worst in turnovers committed at 22.3 per game. It’s next to impossible to single out any particular USA player as all 12 players play between 12.9 and 23.5 minutes and nine of them average 8.3 points or more. A couple of the biggest leaders are De’Vion Harmon, Vernon Carey Jr. and Isaiah Stewart II.
Croatia will need to handle the ball and also race back on defense. Matej Rudan has been their top weapon thus far while Roko Prkacin and Ivan Perasovic - both sons of famous fathers - have shown they are talented well beyond their age, both being born in 2002.