THE UNITED STATES MEN'S NATIONAL TEAM overwhelmed hosts New Zealand early Tuesday morning for its second straight win to open the under-20 World Cup. The win clinched a spot in the round of 16, and while tougher opponents await, the team is clearly trending in the right direction.

In the 4-0 win over the Kiwis, the U.S. played well in all areas and produced a convincing win. It was a complete turnaround from the 2-1 victory over Myanmar, in which the U.S. team barely hung on to earn the three points. Here are my thoughts on the game.

Ramos got the Starting XI right

Tab Ramos admitted that the team needed to improve after its lackluster effort against Myanmar. To be fair, Ramos improved on his part in coaching and made several effective changes to the starting lineup. Every one of the additions to the roster (Bradford Jamieson, Paul Arriola, Desevio Payne, and Gedion Zelalem) paid huge dividends.

The difference between the team’s effort against Myanmar and New Zealand was night and day—although it's worth pointing out that New Zealand's technical deficiencies prevented them from retaining much possession. The Americans showcased better attacking from out wide, more possession and creativity in the midfield, and the team finished chances early to take the host nation out of the game.

Zelalem was masterful

The game marked Zelalem’s debut in a U-20 starting lineup and he did not disappoint. The 18-year-old Berlin native—currently ranked No. 70 in the ASN 100—combined well with his teammates to create several scoring opportunities and he was very smooth on the ball. At one point in the second half, he even nearly assisted with a rabona kick.

Zelalem casually pulling off a rabona for the US U20s pic.twitter.com/HCSoVJyqs3

— Passenal (@Passenal1) June 2, 2015

What was most impressive is that that he fit right in with the team's established leaders—Rubio Rubin and Emerson Hyndman. How Hyndman and Zelalem would play together was a major question leading up to the tournament given they both play similar roles. Against New Zealand, Hyndman and Zelalem complemented each other very well and helped raise each other’s games.

Arriola worked his butt off

Paul Arriola was benched by Ramos during World Cup qualifying and there were some questions about how, or if, he would fit within the team. Against New Zealand, the Chula Vista, Calif., native put in maybe the best performance of his international career. He was everywhere and he was making plays happen. His second-half goal was a great strike but the truth is that Arriola could have had a few more.

What shouldn't be overlooked, however, is Arriola’s defensive effort against New Zealand. Quietly he hustled back to get into good defensive positions. He also made created a few key turnovers and clearances when New Zealand was pushing forward into dangerous positions. Arriola definitely justified his inclusion in the starting lineup.

Payne showed his value

While Zelalem is the most talked about newcomer on the U.S. U-20 team, Desevio Payne is also a major addition to the squad. It was apparent from the win over Myanmar that the team needed better offensive production from its fullbacks. Payne proved instrumental in opening up the American attack from wider positions.

The South Carolina native was very comfortable on the ball and always seemed to make the smart, effective pass whenever he had the ball. Payne is someone who could easily make a quick transition to the U.S. U-23 team later in the year for Olympic qualifying.

Rubin and Hyndman Combine Well

Rubin and Hyndman are the two players on the U-20 team, and both have been capped with the full U.S. national team. Beyond their individual attributes, the two play very well together. Both have been involved in nearly every scoring opportunity, and they seem to know where the other is at all times.

The biggest challenge any coach has to face is getting his best players to work well together, but Ramos needn't worry about Rubin and Hyndman.

Big decisions await for Ukraine clash

Today's win, of course, guarantees that the U.S. will advance to the round of 16. Saturday's game against Ukraine will determine the winner of the group, with the U.S. only needed a draw to finish on top.

Right now there are three American players sitting on yellow cards: Shaq Moore, Matt Miazga, and Desevio Payne. Should any of the three receive just one yellow card in the game against Ukraine, then they would be suspended for the round of 16 knockout game.

So Tab Ramos will have to make some decisions about resting players to assure their availability for the knockout stage. Winning the group is noteworthy but is it worth it to risk a key player’s availability in a knockout-round game? Payne and Miazga have both shown themselves to be clear starters on this team and both will be important to have as the games take on a do-or-die component. 

Brian Sciaretta is an American Soccer Now columnist and an ASN 100 panelist. Follow him on Twitter.