U.S. U-20 Women’s National Team falls to Japan 2-1 in friendly

CARSON, Calif. (Via U.S. Soccer) – The U.S. Under-20 Women’s National Team fell 2-1 to the Japan Under-20 Women’s National Team in a match played at the U.S. Soccer National Training Center.

The teams will meet again on Wednesday, May 24 (5 p.m. PT) on the Glenn “Mooch” Myernick Field (Field #1).

The USA fell behind in the 12^th minute when Fuka Kono hit a driven shot from the top of the penalty box into the lower right corner past diving U.S. goalkeeper Brooke Heinsohn.

+READ: U.S. U-19 Women’s National Team falls 1-0 to Japan in friendly

The USA tied the match in the 88^th minute on a brilliant long ball over the Japan defense from midfielder Jaelin Howell that settled perfectly for the streaking Civana Kuhlmann. She controlled the ball and finished smartly from 12 yards out to equalize. It was Kuhlmann’s second U-20 international goal after scoring 15 at the U-17 level.

The USA seemed headed for a well-earned draw when in the third and final minute of second half stoppage time, Riko Ushijima launched a seemingly innocuous ball into the penalty area and it kept sailing toward the net before Heinsohn mishandled the shot into the goal for Japan’s game-winner.

– U.S. Under-20 Women’s National Team Match Report –

Match: U.S. Under-20 WNT vs. Japan U-20 WNT
Date: May 22, 2017
Competition: International Friendly
Venue: Glenn “Mooch” Myernick Field; StubHub Center; Carson, Calif.
Weather: 70 degrees; sunny

Scoring Summary:   1          2          F
USA                             0          1          1
JPN                             1          1          2

JPN – Fuka Kono                                                                   12th minute
USA – Civana Kuhlmann (Jaelin Howell)                                88
JPN – Riko Ushijima                                                               90+3

Lineups:
USA: 1-Brooke Heinsohn, 2-Emily Fox (Isabel Rodriguez, 86), 4-Tierna Davidson (capt.), 5-Sydney Dawson (21-Naomi Girma, 35), 3-Julie Doyle (Tara McKeown, 46), 13- Kelsey Turnbow (11-Abigail Kim, 29), 6-Jaelin Howell, 17-Brianna Pinto (Taylor Kornieck, 76), 7-Sophia Smith, 10- Viviana Villacorta (Adrienne Richardson, 46), 9-Belle Briede (Civana Kuhlmann, 46)
Subs not used: 8-Savannah DeMelo, 12-Laurel Ivory, 18-Karina Rodriguez, 20-Amirah Ali, 22-Amanda McGlynn, 22-Amanda Dennis, 23-Mireya Grey
Head Coach: Jitka Klimkova

JPN: 2-Riko Ushijima, 3-Miyu Takahira (19-Nagisa Sato, 46), 4-Moeka Minami (8-Rina Mehara, 57), 5-Asato Miyagawa, 6-Mami Muraoka (14-Honoka Yonei, 71), 10-Fuka Nagano (17-Sari Suzuki, 46), 11-Fuka Kono (13-Hana Takahashi, 57), 15-Nana Ono, 16-Yurina Imai (9-Hinata Miyazawa, 46), 18-Hannah Stambough, 22- Mayu Karahashi (12-Reina Nagashima, 71)
Subs not used: 1-Aguri Suzuki, 7-Mizuka Sato, 20-Niina Yamada, 21-Mai Fukkuta, 23-Miyu Tomita
Head Coach: Futoshi Ikeda

Statistical Summary: USA / JPN
Shots: 8 / 10
Shots on Goal: 4 / 6
Saves: 3 / 3
Corner Kicks: 0 / 8
Fouls: 8 / 5
Offside: 6 / 3

Misconduct Summary:
None

Officials:
Referee: Salma Perez (USA)
Asst. Referee 1: Kristina Patterson (USA)
Asst. Referee 2: Jaclyn Reilman (USA)