U.S. U-20 WNT opens Nike Friendlies with 3-3 draw vs England
LAKEWOOD RANCH, Florida (Via U.S. Soccer) – The U.S. Under-20 Women’s National Team drew 3-3 with England to open the 2017 Women’s Nike International Friendlies as the teams traded goals throughout the match.
In the 90th minute, England cancelled out what looked to be an 87th minute game-winner from Sophia Smith as forward Alessia Russo, who plays at the University of North Carolina, headed a corner kick off the hand of U.S. goalkeeper Laurel Ivory and off the underside of the crossbar. As the ball fell, Ivory batted it away from the goal, but the assistant referee ruled that the ball had crossed the line.
The match was played in front of a standing-room only crowd of more than 2,000 fans at the Premier Sports Campus and they were treated to a tremendously entertaining game and six goals as the USA took three leads only for England to come back and equalize each time.
Smith opened the scoring in the 19th minute off an assist from her Real Colorado club teammate Jaelin Howell, but England answered back almost immediately with a score from Ellie Brazil, who plays for Fiorentina in Italy’s top division. Brazil went off with an injury soon after, leaving the game in the 25th minute.
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The USA took the lead off a set play as captain Zoe Morse worked hard to keep the ball alive inside the penalty area and England defender Grace Fisk knocked it into her own net Fisk plays collegiately at the University of South Carolina.
Smith had two more golden chances on shots from distance in the first half, but her 7th minute blast from 25 yards and her low drive from the top of the penalty area in the 39th minute were both parried away with excellent saves from England goalkeeper Ellie Roebuck, who played a stellar game.
England came out with more initiative in the second half and got an equalizer in the 54th minute as Anne Patten got behind the defense and slipped a shot inside the right post.
In the 73rd minute, Roebuck, who plays for Manchester City, pulled off a brilliant double-save. Second half substitute Civana Kuhlmann worked her way free at the top of the penalty area and blasted a shot that was headed into the lower right corner before Roebuck got a hand to it. Samantha Coffey had a chance to follow-up on the rebound, but Roebuck pushed that shot wide of the left post.
In the 86th minute, Ivory made what looked to be a crucial save, batting away hard point-blank shot from Rinsola Babajide to set up Smith’s second goal on the USA’s next foray down the field.
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Smith then bagged her brace in the 87th minute, but England did not quit. Right after a stoppage in play when Roebuck had to be replaced due to a knock she took earlier in the game, England equalized.
Up next for the USA is a match against Finland, 4-0 losers to Brazil in the first match of the evening, on Dec. 9 at 6:30 p.m. ET. Fans can watch on ussoccer.com, Facebook and YouTube. Brazil sits in first place after the first match day with three points. The USA and England one each from the draw and Finland has zero.
| 2017 Women’s Nike International Friendlies Standings | ||||||||
| Team | GP | W | L | D | Pts. | GF | GA | GD |
| Brazil | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 0 | +4 |
| England | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| USA | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| Finland | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | -4 |
Goal Scoring Rundown:
USA – Sophia Smith (Jaelin Howell), 19th minute: The USA opened the scoring when Howell won a ball in midfield and raced at the England goal, putting the back line on its heels. Smith made a dynamic run behind the defense and Howell slipped the perfect pass into the left side of the penalty area. Smith sent into a slide to cut her rolling left-footed shot into the lower right corner from eight yards out. USA 1, ENG 0.
USA – Ellie Brazil (Lotte Wubben-Moy,) 20th minute: England struck back almost immediately, catching the U.S. back line with a long ball over the top from Lotte Wubben Moy. The ball took a nice skip into the path of Ellie Brazil, who dribbled around U.S. goalkeeper Laurel Ivory and slotted the ball into an open net, behind defender Naomi Girma, who overran the shot while scrambling to cover. USA 1, ENG 1.
USA – Own Goal (Grace Fisk), 25th minute: The USA took the lead again off a free kick from the right flank that was sent in dangerously by Jordan Brewster. Zoe Morse battled with her defender at the far post and was able to toe-poke the ball across the face of the goal on the dewy field. Grace Fisk stuck out her right boot while attempting to clear, but inadvertently knocked the ball off her own goalkeeper and into the net. USA 2, ENG 1.
USA – Anne Patten (Alessia Russio), 54th minute: England won a clearance from U.S. goalkeeper Laurel Ivory on its right flank and the ball fell to Alessia Russio. She turned quickly and played a pass behind the defense to Anne Patten who slipped her shot just inside the right post to tie the score. USA 2, ENG 2.
USA – Sophia Smith (Samantha Coffey), 87th minute: The game could have gone either way when Smith came up with a piece of magic. Substitute Samantha Coffey played a ball into the left side of the penalty area for Smith, who beat her defender to the outside and smashed her shot into the roof of the net for the game-winner. USA 3, ENG 2.
USA – Alessia Russio (Mayumu Pacheco), 90th minute: In perhaps fitting fashion for the back-and-forth game, England tied the match in the 90th minute off a corner kick when Alessia Russio headed the ball out of a pack of players, off the hand of U.S. goalkeeper Laurel Ivory, off the underside of the crossbar, and according to the assistant referee, just over the goal line before it was swatted away by Ivory. USA 3, ENG 3. FINAL
Additional Notes:
- U.S. head coach Jitka Klimkova used five of her six allowed substitutes, bringing on two forwards at halftime. She sent on Kelsey Turnbow in place of Abigail Kim and Civana Kuhlmann in place of Jordan Harr.
- Turnbow, a Santa Clara freshman who was a late add to the roster, replaced Ashley Sanchez who withdrew due to academic commitments.
- She also gave minutes to Samantha Coffey, who picked up an assist, and Tara McKeown. Midfielder Taylor Kornieck went on in stoppage time.
- The age cutoff to be eligible for the 2018 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup is players born on or after January 1, 1998. For this event, U.S. WNT head coach Jitka Klimkova called up nine players born in 1998, 11 born in 1999 and four born in 2000, making them also age-eligible for the 2020 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup.
- Smith leads the team in scoring this year with eight six international goals while Kuhlmann has four and Abigail Kim has two.
- The USA and England met twice in July at England’s National Team training center with the USA coming away with 2-1 and 2-0 wins. The USA goals were scored by Kuhlmann (2), Sanchez, and Kornieck.
- Smith earned the rare distinction of scoring for three different age group National Teams this year. In February, she scored for the U-18 WNT against England and Norway. For the U-20 WNT, she has scored against Norway (twice), Germany (twice), France, Japan and England. For the U-23 WNT, she scored against Norway as well as the game-winner against the Portland Thorns.
- Midfielder Savannah DeMelo earned her 21st cap, which is tops on the roster.
-U.S. Under-20 Women’s National Team Match Report-
Match: U.S. U-20 WNT vs. England U-20 WNT
Date: Dec. 7, 2017
Competition: 2017 Women’s Nike International Friendlies
Venue: Premier Sports Complex Stadium; Lakewood Ranch, Fla.
Attendance: 2,054
Weather: 75 degrees, breezy
Scoring Summary: 1 2 F
USA 2 0 0
ENG 1 1 0
USA – Sophia Smith (Jaelin Howell) 19th minute
ENG – Ellie Brazil (Lotte Wubben-Moy) 20
USA – Grace Fisk (own goal) 25
ENG – Anna Patten (Alessia Russo) 54
USA – Sophia Smith (Samantha Coffey) 87
ENG – Alessia Russo (Mayumi Pacheo) 90
Lineups:
USA: 22-Laurel Ivory; 3-Jordan Brewster, 5-Zoe Morse (capt.), 4-Naomi Girma, 19-Isabel Rodriguez (25-Tara McKeown, 63); 6-Jaelin Howell, 10-Savannah DeMelo (24-Taylor Kornieck, 90+1), 8-Brianna Pinto (13-Samantha Coffey, 63); 7-Abigail Kim (20-Civana Kuhlmann, 46), 9-Sophia Smith, 11-Jordan Harr (18-Kelsey Turnbow, 46)
Subs Not Used: 1-Amanda McGlynn, 14-Sydney Dawson, 17-Taryn Torres, 23-Nicole Albrecht
Head Coach: Jitka Klimkova
ENG: 1-Ellie Roebuck (13-Sandy Maclver, 90); 2-Anna Patten, 3-Mayumi Pacheco, 6-Lotte Wubben-Moy, 4-Chloe Peplow, 5-Grace Fisk (capt.), 8-Mollie Rouse, 14-Georgia Allen, 7-Alessia Russo, 9-Ellie Brazil (17-Rinsola Babajide, 35), 11-Niamh Charles (19-Charlie Wellings, 66)
Subs Not Used: 10-Zoe Cross, 12-Taylor Hinds, 15-Lucy Parker, 16-Rianna Dean, 18-Kess Elmore, 20-Alicia Johnson
Head Coach: Mo Marley
Stats Summary: USA / ENG
Shots: 11 / 17
Shots on Goal: 8 / 6
Saves: 3 / 6
Corner Kicks: 4 / 1
Fouls: 11 / 6
Offside: 2 / 0
Misconduct Summary:
USA – Samantha Coffee (caution) 90+2
Officials:
Referee: Natalie Simon (USA)
Assistant Referee: Adrienne McDonald (USA)
Assistant Referee: Jennifer Politz (USA)
Fourth Official: Jamie Padilla (USA)
