Cavan Sullivan Strike Lifts USA to 1-0 Win Against Burkina Faso in Opening Match of 2025 Fifa U-17 World Cup

DOHA, Qatar (November 5, 2025) – After a back-and-forth battle, the U.S. Under-17 Men’s National Team utilized a 79th minute strike from substitute Cavan Sullivan to earn a 1-0 win against Burkina Faso in the team’s opening match of the 2025 FIFA U-17 World Cup at Aspire Zone. The victory positions the USA second in Group I heading into its next match against Tajikistan on Saturday, Nov. 8 (9:45 a.m. ET; FS2, Telemundo, Peacock).

The match marked the second time the two nations have met at the U-17 World Cup, the first instance occurring during the group stage of the last edition in Indonesia 2023. In Jakarta, the U.S. overpowered its opponent 2-1 with goals from Keyrol Figueroa and the only player to also feature on the 2025 World Cup roster, Nimfasha Berchimas.

Fast forward to November 2025, both teams met on the World Cup stage once again. The eagerness to get off to a hot start was evident from the first whistle as both teams created opportunities in the final third. First was the USA with a bright spark from the quick-footed Berchimas who took on incoming pressure from an opposing defender towards the right touchline and into the box. The forward created enough space to put in a low cross to the top of the six that was quickly snatched by ‘keeper Rahim Ouattara.

Inside the second minute, the West African side won a corner kick after a rapid attack. A powerful cross was placed towards the near post, but was untouched by both teams. The ball fell to Fadil Barro at the penalty spot whose header was stopped with an impressive diving save by Aidan Stokes to keep the game level.

The U.S. answered with a chance of their own 11 minutes into the first half. Left winger Mathis Albert linked up with creative midfielder Máximo Carrizo, finding space in the final third with one-touch passes, giving Albert the opportunity to strike from inside the box, but he narrowly pushed his effort wide of goal.

With both teams defending well, the strategies of both sides began to play out. The USA opted for a possession-based style of play, building up from the back and getting the creative midfielders involved in order to produce opportunities in the attack. Burkina Faso preferred to employ a counterattack strategy which proved effective as its taller attackers could bring down the ball and begin to play up field with the wingers.

It wasn't until just a few minutes before stoppage time that the USA was able to produce its best chance of the half. Again proving dangerous, Albert placed a precise through ball for Julian Hall into the 18-yard-box, where he was able to get off a left-footed strike, only to be denied by Ouattara, sending the teams into the locker room at 0-0.

Burkina Faso started the second half similar to the first, getting up-field with quick attacks and long balls. At the 51st minute, the side sprung into attack, switching the field with an accurate pass toward Alassana Bagayogo, who gathered the ball and cut onto his right foot before firing a shot that was deflected out for a corner kick by Gio Villa. Burkina Faso continued putting pressure on the USA’s backline, finding spaces to threaten. Bagayogo nearly struck again in the 58th minute, this time elevating on a free kick and heading the ball just wide of Stokes’ left post.

The first clear opportunity for the U.S. in the second half came in the 67th minute on a free kick only a few yards away from the 18-yard-box towards the left touchline. Albert curled a right-footed shot toward the front post, but was caught just in time by Barro before reaching the goal.

After absorbing that pressure, the USA found the game’s only goal just 11 minutes from full time. Albert again created the chance, delivering a cross from the left side of the pitch into the path of Hall who just missed on his headed attempt, but the ball fell perfectly for Sullivan, who entered the match just 17 minutes earlier, to slot home from close range past Ouattara.

Stokes and the U.S. backline hung tough to keep Burkina Faso from an equalizer, earning a clean sheet and a valuable three points to begin the 2025 World Cup campaign.

ADDITIONAL NOTES

Cavan Sullivan came off the bench in the 62nd minute to score in his U-17 World Cup debut.

Goalkeeper Aidan Stokes made four saves to earn the clean sheet.

Nimfasha Berchimas became the first U.S. player to appear in two different FIFA U-17 World Cups. The Charlotte FC attacker appeared in all four matches for the U.S. at the 2023 edition in Indonesia, providing three goals.

The USA moves to 10W-8L-1D in opening matches at the FIFA U-17 World Cup and improves to 5W-8L-1D in matches against countries from the African Football Confederation (AFC).

- U.S. UNDER-17 MEN’S NATIONAL TEAM MATCH REPORT –

Match: United States Under-17 Men’s National Team vs. Australia

Date: November 5, 2025

Competition: 2025 FIFA U-17 World Cup; Group Stage

Venue: Aspire Zone Pitch 4 – Khaled Salman

Attendance: N/A

Kickoff: 6:15 p.m. local time (10:15 a.m. ET)

Weather: 82 degrees, clear

Lineups:

USA: 1-Aidan Stokes; 2-Gio Villa, 4-Christopher Cupps, 5-Ramiz Hamouda (20-Enrique Martinez, 76), 3-Pedro Guimaraes; 15-Cooper Sanchez (19-Mateo Tsakiris 85); 8-Jude Terry (6-Cavan Sullivan, 62), 10-Maximo Carrizo (Capt.) (18-Luca Moisa, 75); 7-Nimfasha Berchimas (13-Kellan LeBlanc, 85), 16-Julian Hall, 11-Mathis Albert

Substitutes not used: 12-Jack Kortkamp, 21-William Lodmell, 9-Chase Adams, 14-Jordan Griffin, 17-Jamir Johnson

Head coach: Gonzalo Segares

BFA: 1-Rahim Ouattara, 2-Ousmane Ouedraogo, 3-Mikael Coulibaly, 4-Issouf Dabo, 5-Fadil Barro, 7-Ismael Zalle, 8-Mohamed Zongo (9-Halidou Diakite, 90), 10-Cherif Barro (11-Latif Diaby, 78), 18-Eddie Kogo (6-Mohamed Fofana, 77), 19-Loukman Tapsoba, 20-Alassana Bagayogo (15-Mohamed Kabore, 90)

Substitutes not used: 21-Yaya Sagnon, 12-Moumine Ouedraogo, 13-Moussa Togola, 14-Issouf Sangare, 17-Eric Ouattara

Not available: 16-Prince Ouedraogo

Head coach: Anthony Popović

Stats Summary: USA / BFA

Shots: 9 / 16

Shots on Goal: 4 / 4

Saves: 4 / 3

Corner Kicks: 5 / 5

Fouls: 16 / 9

Offside: 1 / 0

Officials:

Click here to read article