United States U-17 international Alex Shinsky chased a dream two years ago, leaving the confines of West York High School in Pennsylvania for the rigors of the IMG Soccer Academy in Bradenton, Florida.

He could have been a standout in his small hometown of 40,000, perhaps the best player the city of York had ever laid their eyes on, however there was nothing small about his aspirations, nor picayune about his dreams.

The platform needed to be bigger. The end result needed to be greater.

Little did he know, Thursday night he would get his wish and take a huge step in his blossoming career. The diminutive, but crafty midfielder from south-central Pennsylvania secured the game-winner for the United States in their 1-0 victory against Malawi during the U-17 World Cup in Nigeria.

The win positioned the Americans into a tie with United Arab Emirates in Group E. The United States will face the Emirates on Sunday in the final game of group play.

"I was just thinking about trying to get a clean hit on the ball," the 16 year-old Shinsky told YA. "Focusing and just keeping an eye on the ball.

"I feel lucky that it went in. The goalie made a mistake, but a goal is a goal."

"I was surprised," he continued. "At first I thought I maybe got a good hit on it. It didn't really know where the goal was so I just tried to hit it as hard I can. I scored a goal and it feels great."

The goal gave credence to his confidence, which had already given a boost before the match by his coach Wilmer Cabrera.

"He told me to just go whenever I can and play my game and be more confident with the ball," he said. "I just wanted to take people on and try to score."

As recently as 2007, the 5-foot-8, 135-pound player was earning recognition for West York as a freshman in the York Adams Interscholastic Athletic Association, where he was named as an all-star along with his older brother, Max.

But after his first campaign with West York, Shinsky made the decision to enroll in the Bradenton, Fl. Academy in 2007, where international stars like Josmer Altidore and Landon Donovan once trained.

As for career options down the road, nothing is set in motion just yet for the young midfielder.

"Not much is coming around so I am just keeping my options open and my head up," he said. "I am hoping for some [professional options], but if that doesn't happen I have other things also."

Is a return to West York, the place where it all started perhaps in the cards for Shinsky? His mother, Justine Kloske, has already indicated that she knows the answer to that question.

"He'll be back home for the second half of this, his junior year, and he'll be able to play to play his senior season at West York," Kloske said recently to the hometown newspaper, the York Daily Record. "I'd like to see him go to college after that."