Charlotte FC homegrown forward Nimfasha Berchimas showed his sky-high potential Sunday, scoring two goals and setting up another at the 2023 FIFA U-17 World Cup as the US began Group E play with a 3-1 win over South Korea.
Berchimas, 15, opened the scoring at Indonesia's Jakarta International Stadium in the 7th minute by finding the top corner after a failed clearance. And he iced the game in the 73rd minute with a low, left-footed strike from atop the penalty area.
In between notching a brace, Berchimas played a crucial role when Cruz Medina put the US ahead in the 49th minute. The San Jose Earthquakes homegrown midfielder lashed home Berchimas' saved shot.
Berchimas is the youngest US player at a U-17 World Cup since Freddy Adu at Finland 2003. And while the North Carolina native's yet to make his MLS debut, he's scored one goal in eight games for Charlotte's MLS NEXT Pro team Crown Legacy FC.
Charlotte signed Berchimas in November 2022, making him the sixth-youngest player to sign an MLS contract at 14 years and 268 days old. The Crown have only played two seasons in MLS, debuting last year as an expansion club.
Berchimas is one of six homegrowns on the US U-17 roster and among 16 players with MLS NEXT experience. They're captained by Inter Miami CF II defender Tyler Hall.
The US return to action Wednesday vs. Burkina Faso (4 am ET | FS1, Universo), hoping to lock up a knockout round spot. The tournament's top two finishers in each group (and four best third-place teams), reach the Round of 16. From there, a knockout bracket concludes with the final on Dec. 2.
