Summer Green hat-trick leads U.S. Under-17s to World Cup group win
BAKU, Azerbaijan (Sept. 25, 2012) – The United States scored five second-half goals and defeated Gambia 6-0 on Tuesday at Dalga Arena in its second match of the 2012 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup. Summer Green scored three goals and Amber Munerlyn, Morgan Stanton and Toni Payne each added a single tally, setting up a crucial Group B finale against Korea DPR on Saturday, Sept. 29.
The USA’s match against North Korea kicks off at 8 a.m. ET on Saturday, Sept. 29, at Bayil Stadium in Baku. The match will be broadcast live on ESPN3. Fans can also follow the match on ussoccer.com’s MatchTracker and on Twitter @ussoccer_ynt.
Earlier in the day, Group B leader Korea DPR and France played to a 1-1 draw. North Korea (1-0-1) leads the group with four points and a plus-11 goal difference after walloping Gambia on the first day of matches. The U.S. (1-0-1) also has four points, but sits at plus-6 in goal difference. Third-place France (0-0-2) is very much in the mix with two points, but with a game against Gambia on Sept. 29. The top two teams in Group B advance to the quarterfinal stage of the tournament.
The U.S. can only guarantee advancement to the quarterfinals with a win on Saturday against Korea DPR, which would also earn first place in the group.
The U.S. can still advance with a tie as long as France does not put up a big win against Gambia and overtake the USA in goal difference.
If the teams are also tied on goal difference at the end of group play, goals scored would be the next tiebreaker. If somehow the USA and France were to be tied on points, goal difference and goals scored, lots would be drawn to determine which country advances in second place in the group.
The U.S. could potentially advance in second place with a loss on Saturday, but only if Gambia were to defy the odds with a tie or a win against the heavily favored France squad.
Against a gritty Gambia, the Americans struggled to find a rhythm early on and Green started the scoring by burying a penalty kick in the 25th minute after left back Brittany Basinger had been bundled down in the box while hitting a cross from the left.
The USA players put the sluggish first half behind them quickly, getting a goal from Amber Munerlyn just 25 seconds into the second half after Darian Jenkins had raced down the left side and crossed back into the middle.
Green scored her second goal of the match in the 61st minute as she struck the ball from the a sharp angle on the right side and it deflected off of Gambia captain defender Amy Jaju before skipping past wrong-footed goalkeeper Aminata Gaye and into the near post. Jenkins notched her second assist of the match on a similar run to Munerlyn’s goal, but this time found Green to complete her hat trick in the 71st minute.
Morgan Stanton scored her first international goal in the 83rd minute off an assist from substitute Lauren Kaskie and Toni Payne capped off the scoring in the 86th minute on a breakaway, capitalizing on a superb long-distance pass from Brittany Basinger over the Gambia back line.
Additional Notes:
- Summer Green’s hat trick was the 11th for a U.S. player in a FIFA World Cup at all levels and sixth for a female player, following Carin Gabarra and Michelle Akers (five goals) in the 1991 FIFA Women’s World Cup in China, Kelly Wilson in the 2002 FIFA U-19 Women’s World Cup in Canada, Sydney Leroux in the 2010 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Germany and Maya Hayes in the 2012 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Japan.
- The six goals are the most the USA has scored in this tournament, topping the previous high of four when the Americans defeated South Korea 4-2 in the quarterfinals of the 2008 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.
- U.S. head coach Albertin Montoya made several changes to the starting 11 that featured against France in the first World Cup match. He brought in Morgan Reid at right back and moved Brittany Basinger to the left, gave Morgan Stanton the start in the midfield, rested captain Morgan Andrews and inserted Amber Munerlyn up top.
- Green’s three goals now give her 20 career international tallies at the U-17 level.
- Backup goalkeeper Cassie Miller replaced Jane Campbell at the start of the second half after Campbell got a kick in the face while coming out to challenge a cross.
- The USA out-shot Gambia 26-4 for the match.
– U.S. Under-17 Women’s National Team Match Report –
Match: U-17 Women’s National Team vs. Gambia
Date: Sept. 25, 2012
Competition: 2012 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup; Group B
Venue: Dalga Arena; Baku, Azerbaijan
Kickoff: 8 a.m. ET (5 p.m. local)
Attendance: 4,200
Weather: 75 degrees, sunny, warm
Scoring Summary: 1 2 F
USA 1 5 6
GAM 0 0 0
USA – Summer Green (penalty kick) 25th minute
USA – Amber Munerlyn (Darian Jenkins) 46
USA – Summer Green 61
USA – Summer Green (Darian Jenkins) 71
USA – Morgan Stanton (Lauren Kaskie) 83
USA – Toni Payne (Brittany Basinger) 86
Lineups:
USA: 1-Jane Campbell (18-Cassie Miller, 46); Morgan Reid, 5-Maddie Bauer (capt.), 13-Lizzy Raben, 3-Brittany Basinger; 17-Andi Sullivan, 11-Toni Payne, 16-Morgan Stanton; 6-Summer Green (9-Lauren Kaskie, 82), 8-Amber Munerlyn (2-Emily Bruder, 70), 21-Darian Jenkins
Subs not used: 4-Joanna Boyles, 7-Gabbi Miranda, 10-Morgan Andrews, 12-Mandy Freeman, 14-Morgan Reid, 15-Claire Wagner, 19-Margaret Purce, 20-Morgan Stearns
Head Coach: Albertin Montoya
GAM: 1-Aminata Gaye; 2-Amie Jarju (capt.), 11-Awa Tamba (3-Anna Nyassi, 63), 16-Serreh Jatta, 17-Fatou Fatty; 5-Binta Colley (14-Veronic Malack, 72), 7-Fatou Darboe, 9-Sainey Sissohore, 19-Metta Sanneh; 10-Adama Tamba, 12-Awa Demba (20-Isatou Jallow, 55)
Subs not used: 4-Mariama Bojang, 6-Ndey Beyai, 8-Penda Bah, 13-Maria Camara, 15-Fatoumata Gibba, 18-Mariama Ceesay, 21-Fatim Jawara
Head Coach: Buba Jallow
Stats Summary: USA / GAM
Shots: 26 / 4
Shots on Goal: 12 / 3
Saves: 3 / 6
Corner Kicks: 16 / 2
Fouls: 5 / 10
Offside: 6 / 1
Misconduct Summary:
None
Officials:
Referee: Etsuko Fukano (JPN)
Assistant Referee 1: Liu Hsiu Mei (TPE)
Assistant Referee 2: Chie Ohata (JPN)
Fourth Official: Finau Vulivuli (FIJ)
