The scene was set for a transformative day in the careers of a number of young players. And Mother Nature got the memo.
As afternoon gave way to evening, Incheon, South Korea was sundrenched: 75 degrees with a light breeze and not a cloud in the sky. And as the United States prepared to open their U-20 World Cup campaign, optimism was everywhere.
Things were supposed to be different on May 22, 2017 for Gedion Zelalem. Instead, a day that should have been yet another mark on his ascent ended in a devastating injury, and the beginning of a nightmarish recovery.