Weah hat-trick helps USA storm into quarterfinals

Timothy Weah scored the Under-17 World Cup's second hat-trick as the United States thrashed Paraguay 5-0 in the round of 16.

Six days after the U.S. senior team failed to qualify for next year's World Cup, the U17s reached the quarterfinals of its FIFA tournament for the first time since 2005.

The U.S.'s first goal came from a superb team move in the 19th minute, as Ayo Akinola got to the end of a superb through ball before squaring it up for Weah for an easy finish.

Weah's second was one of the best goals of the tournament so far, a spectacular, curling effort from the left-side edge of the box that found the top right corner, following some fancy footwork.

"I just cut back and my striker instinct told me to hit it," said Weah, the son of former Ballon d'Or winner George Weah. "It ended up being a beautiful strike. ... I don't score a lot of beautiful goals. Most of my goals are just tap-ins."

Andrew Carleton made it 3-0 in the 63rd minute with a neat finish from inside the box after being set up by Joshua Sargent, who himself got onto the score-sheet in the 74th, timing his run well to receive Carleton's through ball before finishing emphatically to find the top right corner.

Weah completed his hat-trick shortly afterward, from a similar position to his first, slotting the ball past the keeper from Carleton's assist.

The U.S. will face the winner of the match between England and Japan in the quarterfinal.

American midfielder Chris Durkin got his second yellow card of the tournament and will be suspended for the quarterfinal.