U.S. U-20 Women’s National Team earns 2-1 win over Brazil
BEAVERTON, Oregon (Via U.S. Soccer) – The U-20 Women’s National Team defeated Brazil, 2-1, in what was the USA’s last international match before the 2018 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup.
The win reversed a 3-2 loss on June 30 in the first of two games between the teams at the USA’s final training camp before U.S. U-20 head coach Jitka Klimkova chooses a 21-player roster for the World Cup in France.
Sophia Smith opened the scoring for the USA in the 8th minute, Brazil’s Victoria equalized in the 35th minute (with her third goal over the two games), and Ashley Sanchez bagged the game-winner in the 59th.
Smith’s 21st career international goal at the U-20 level was her team-leading 13th of 2018. Smith’s goal also marked the ninth consecutive international match in which she has scored, a record for the USA’s Youth National Teams, and tying her with Michelle Akers, who scored in nine straight matches for the full WNT in 1991.
Since starting the streak with two goals against the France U-20 WNT on March 6 in Saint-Malo, France, Smith has scored against the Sweden U-23s (twice), England’s U-20s, Italy’s U-23s, and against the U-20s of Germany, Haiti (twice), France again, and once in each of the games against Brazil in Portland.
Smith is in fourth place on the USA’s all-time U-20 WNT scoring list behind Sydney Leroux (29), Kelley O’Hara (24) and Lindsey Horan (24).
Smith’s goal came after she won the ball in attacking third and played Erin Gilroy down the right wing. Gilroy returned the pass inside the penalty box and Smith slid to knock her shot under the sliding Brazil goalkeeper and into the net.
The USA’s game-winner came after Brazil cleared a corner kick. The USA kept the ball in the attacking third and it was played to Penelope Hocking into the right side of the penalty area. From almost on the end line, she played a pass back on the ground to the top of the six-yard box that was dummied by Taryn Torres and right into the path of Sanchez, who slammed her first-time shot into the left side of the net from eight yards out. It was the 11th goal at the U-20 level for Sanchez in 33 caps.
The match also marked the return to action for defender Emily Fox, one of the USA’s top players at the 2016 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Papua New Guinea. Fox, who came on in the 74th minute to earn her 32nd U-20 cap, saw her first game minutes since recovering from ACL surgery.
The U.S. U-20 WNT has gone 11-1-3 this year in international matches with 12 different players having scored.
The USA was drawn into Group C at the upcoming World Cup in France and opens the tournament on Monday, Aug. 6 against Japan (1:30 p.m. ET / 7:30 p.m. local on FS2), faces Paraguay on Thursday, Aug. 9 (1:30 p.m. ET / 7:30 p.m. local on FS2) and finishes the group against Spain on Monday, Aug. 13 (7:30 a.m. ET / 1:30 p.m. localon on FS2). The USA will play its first two group games at Stade Guy-Piriou in Concarneau and its third group game at Stade du Clos Gastel in Dinan/Léhon.
The 16-team field for the tournament is a strong one, featuring Mexico, the USA, Haiti, host France, England, Netherlands, Germany, Spain, Ghana, Nigeria, Brazil, Paraguay, China PR, Japan, Korea PRK and New Zealand. The USA has won the tournament three times (2002, 2008, 2012), as has Germany (2004, 2010, 2014), while Korea DPR has won it twice, in 2006 and most recently in 2016.
– U.S. U-20 Women’s National Team Match Report –
Match: USA U-20 WNT vs. BRA U-20 WNT
Date: July 3, 2018
Competition: International Friendly
Venue: Ronaldo Field; Beaverton, Oregon
Weather: 77 degrees, sunny
Scoring Summary: 1 2 F
USA 1 1 2
BRA 0 1 1
BRA – Sophia Smith (Erin Gilroy) 8th minute
BRA – Victòria 35
USA – Ashley Sanchez (Penelope Hocking) 59
USA: 12-Amanda McGlynn; 2-Naomi Girma (3-Karina Rodriguez, 62), 6-Jaelin Howell (23-Taryn Torres, 46), 8-Brianna Pinto, 9-Sophia Smith (19-Penelope Hocking, 46), 10-Viviana Villacorta, 11-Alexa Spaanstra (24-Ashley Sanchez, 46), 13-Kiara Pickett (capt.) (7-Emily Fox, 74), 14-Erin Gilroy (21-Abigail Kim, 62), 16-Isabel Rodriguez, 18-Zoe Morse
Subs Not Used: Taylor Mitchell, Tara McKeown, Hillary Beall
Head Coach: Jitka Klimkova
BRA: 1-Nicole Ramos; 2-Monalisa (14-Isabella, 76), 3-Thais Regina, 6-Katrine, 7-Angelina, 8-Karla (20-Ariadina, 66), 10-Victòria, 11-Brenda Woch (9-Geyse, 58), 17-Kerolin Nicoli (21-Valèria, 66), 18-Ana Vitoria (capt.)
Stats Summary: USA / FRA
Shots: 8 / 8
Shots on Goal: 4 / 3
Saves: 2 / 2
Corner Kicks: 4 / 3
Fouls: 8 / 14
Offside: 3 / 2
Misconduct Summary:
BRA – Ana Vitoria (caution) 25th minute
USA – Isabel Rodriguez (caution) 88
Officials:
Referee: Corbyn May (USA)
Assistant Referee: Pawel Sojka (USA)
Assistant Referee: Kojiro Morgan (USA)
Fourth Official: Ian Miller
