Sporting Kansas City homegrown defender Erik Palmer-Brown started and played 45 minutes for the U.S. Under-20 Men's National Team on Thursday in the opening game of the 2015 Stevan Vilotic Tournament at Subotica City Stadium in Subotica, Serbia. The US U-20's fell 3-1 to the hosts Serbia, who won the 2015 FIFA U-20 World Cup earlier this summer.

The competition, held in honor of former Yugoslavia manager Stevan Cele Vilotic, features six teams in its 22nd edition with Israel, Ukraine, Montenegro and France rounding out the field. The United States will next face France on Friday in Senta, Serbia to set up a final placement match on Monday.

Palmer-Brown, 18, has appeared in nine matches for Sporting Kansas City across all competition since signing as a Homegrown Player in August 2013. He made his MLS debut in May 2014, becoming the youngest player to appear in an MLS match in club history.

The Lee’s Summit, Missouri native attended the prestigious U.S. Soccer Residency Program in Bradenton, Florida and has started in the Chipotle MLS Homegrown Game each of the last two years.