U.S. U-20 Women’s National Team set for quarterfinal vs. Korea DPR on Friday

The U.S. Under-20 Women’s National Team prepares for a quarterfinal match against Korea DPR on Friday, Aug. 31, at the 2012 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup at Komaba Stadium in Saitama, Japan. Coverage of this match begins at 6:20 a.m. ET on ESPNU and ESPN3. The USA took second place in Group D behind Germany, while Korea DPR won Group C with a 3-0-0 record.

2012 U.S. U-20 FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP SCHEDULE AND RESULTS

GROUP D UPDATE

Germany Tops USA for First Place in Group: The U.S. lost for only the second time this year as Germany won Group D on Monday, Aug. 27, at Miyagi Stadium in Rifu, Japan. Germany’s Lena Lotzen had two goals and Melanie Leupolz also had a tally, while U.S. goalkeeper Bryane Heaberlin had a game-high six saves. Germany earned its 10th straight victory in U-20 Women’s World Cup competition, dating back to its third-place game victory against France in 2008. That 10-game winning streak equals the record set by the USA from 2002-2004. Germany has an opportunity establish a new record when it shoots for win No. 11 against Group C second-place finisher Norway on Friday. On Monday, the USA finished tied in points with China PR in Group D, but held a significant goal differential advantage to advance to the quarterfinal stage.

FINAL GROUP D STANDINGS AND RESULTS

Monday, Aug. 20
USA 4, Ghana 0
Germany 4, China PR 0

Thursday, Aug. 23
Germany 1, Ghana 0
USA 1, China PR 1

Monday, Aug. 27
Germany 3, USA 0
China PR 1, Ghana 0

U.S. ROSTER BY POSITION – DETAILED
GOALKEEPERS (3): Bryane Heaberlin (North Carolina; St. Petersburg, Fla.), Jami Kranich (Villanova; Hamden, Conn.), Abby Smith (Dallas Texans; Dallas, Texas)
DEFENDERS (6): Stephanie Amack (Mustang Blast; Pleasanton, Calif.), Crystal Dunn (North Carolina; Rockville Centre, N.Y.), Julie Johnston (Santa Clara; Mesa, Ariz.), Kassey Kallman (Florida State; Woodbury, Minn.), Mollie Pathman (Duke; Durham, N.C.), Cari Roccaro (Albertson Fury; East Islip, N.Y.)
MIDFIELDERS (6): Morgan Brian (Virginia; St. Simons Island, Ga.), Vanessa DiBernardo (Illinois; Naperville, Ill.), Sarah Killion (UCLA; Fort Wayne, Ind.), Mandy Laddish (Notre Dame; Lee’s Summit, Mo.), Samantha Mewis (UCLA; Hanson, Mass.), Taylor Schram (Penn State; Canonsburg, Pa.)
FORWARDS (6): Kelly Cobb (Duke; Chugiak, Alaska), Maya Hayes (Penn State; West Orange, N.J.), Kealia Ohai (North Carolina; Draper, Utah), Katie Stengel (Wake Forest; Melbourne, Fla.), Chioma Ubogagu (Stanford; Coppell, Texas), Becca Wann (Richmond; Chesterfield, Va.)

PREPARATION SCHEDULE YIELDS SOLID RESULTS FOR U-20 WNT: The USA headed into the 2012 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup with a 12-1-0 record this year in international matches. The lone loss came against the Women’s World Cup hosts by a 1-0 score on a June trip to Japan. The USA won the second match against Japan 2-0 three days later. The USA was fortunate enough to play nine matches against teams that are participating in the Women’s World Cup and compiled an 8-1-0 record in those games.

2012 U.S. U-20 INTERNATIONAL RESULTS (PRE-WORLD CUP)

TOURNAMENT FORMAT: The 2012 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup – which is staged every two years – features 16 nations divided into four groups of four teams each. The top two teams in each group advanced to the quarterfinal stage on Aug. 30 and 31. The semifinals take place Tuesday, Sept. 4, and the Final and third-place matches are held on Saturday, Sept. 8, with both rounds at the National Olympic Stadium in Tokyo. Players eligible for this age group tournament must have been born on or after Jan. 1, 1992.

CONSISTENT U.S. PRESENCE: The USA has competed in all five previous Women’s World Cups held for this age group, winning the inaugural tournament in 2002 in Canada when it was a U-19 event, finishing third in 2004 in Thailand, finishing fourth in 2006 in Russia when the format changed to U-20s, winning in 2008 in Chile on the strength of goal scoring from current Olympic gold medalists Alex Morgan and Sydney Leroux and finishing fifth in 2010 in Germany. The U-19 tournaments featured 12 teams while the last three – and the current edition – feature 16.

U.S. ROSTER NOTES

• Maya Hayes leads all 2012 U-20 Women’s World Cup players with four goals, contributing for all of the team’s offense. The USA also benefited from an own goal during its opening win against Ghana. Hayes scored a hat trick against Ghana and had the lone U.S. goal in the 1-1 draw against China PR.
• Sixteen of the 21 players selected by U-20 Women’s National Team head coach Steve Swanson were born in 1992, three were born in 1993 and two – defenders Stephanie Amack and Cari Roccaro – were born in 1994, meaning they are age-eligible for the 2014 FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup in Canada.
• Eleven different players have scored for the USA in international matches this year, nine of whom made the World Cup roster. Hayes leads the World Cup team with 10 international goals this year, followed by Chioma Ubogagu with eight goals. Hayes is the USA’s top scorer at this level with 16 career international goals.
• Midfielder Samantha Mewis leads the U.S. U-20s with six assists in international competition this year in 730 minutes of play.
• Defender Mollie Pathman leads the team with 1,176 minutes played this year.

BY THE NUMBERS

• 2: International games out of 16 in which the USA has been shut out in 2012
• 3: Remaining teams that won a previous U-19/U-20 World Cup: USA (2), Germany (2), Korea DPR (1)
• 5: Goals scored by Maya Hayes in CONCACAF qualifying to lead the team
• 6: Assists by Samantha Mewis this year to lead the team
• 6: U-19/U-20 Women’s World Cups that the USA has qualified for
• 7: Goals allowed by the USA in 16 international matches this year
• 27: Players to see action in a U.S. U-20 international match this year
• 40: Career U-20 caps for Hayes, the most on the Women’s World Cup roster
• 55: Goals scored by the USA in 16 international matches this year

IN FOCUS: KOREA DPR

• Korea DPR Football Association
• Founded: 1945 (Joined FIFA in 1958)
• Head Coach: Sin Ui Gun
• Best FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup Finish: First place (2006)

USA vs. KOREA DPR SERIES

• The USA and Korea DPR have only met once in the history of the U-20 Women’s World Cup, and that was in the championship of the 2008 tournament as the USA earned a 2-1 victory on July 12. Leading the way were U.S. Women’s National Team gold medalists Sydney Leroux and Alex Morgan who scored the USA’s goals in the 23rd and 42nd minutes, respectively. Cha Hu Nam got North Korea on the score sheet two minutes into stoppage time.
• In that match, Korea DPR outshot the USA 15-9, with a 7-5 shots on goal advantage.
• Leroux scored five goals in the tournament that year to earn the Golden Shoe as the tournament’s top scorer.
• Tony DiCicco, a 2012 National Soccer Hall of Fame inductee, was the head coach of the U-20s in that 2008 U-20 World Cup.

KOREA DPR ROSTER
GOALKEEPERS (3): 1-Choe Kyong Im, 18-O Chang Ran, 21-Kim Chol Ok
DEFENDERS (7): 2-Kim Nam Hui, 4-Kim Un Ha, 5-Yun Song Mi, 6-Ryu Un Jong, 9-Pak Kyong Mi, 14-Pong Son Hwa, 15-Ri Nam Sil
MIDFIELDERS (8): 3-Ri Yong Mi, 7-Kim Un Ju, 8-Jon Myong Hwa, 12-Kim Un Hyang, 13-O Hui Sun, 16-Ri Hyang Hui, 19-Yu Jong Im, 20-Kim Su Gyong
FORWARDS (3): 10-Yun Hyon Hi, 11-Kim Un Hwa, 17-Kwon Song Hwa

KOREA DPR ROSTER NOTES

• Six Korea DPR players were on the winning roster of the 2008 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup: Jon Myong Hwa, Kim Un Hyang, Kim Un Ju, Ri Hyang Hui, Ryu Un Jong and Yun Hyon Hi.
• Korea DPR defeated China 5-0 to win the 2006 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup. Kim Song-Hui had a hat trick to lead the way at Locomotiv Stadium in Moscow.
• Korea DPR scored 15 goals in three matches to win all three matches in Group C play in this year’s event. North Korea topped Norway 4-2, blanked Argentina 9-0 and edged Canada 2-1.
• Forward Kim Un Hwa is the leading scorer in the 2012 U-20 Women’s World Cup with seven tallies, including fifth during the 9-0 win against Argentina on Aug. 23. She is three goals away from matches the tournament record of 10 set by Canada’s Christine Sinclair in 2002 and Germany’s Alexandra Popp in 2010.
• Kim Su Gyong also had a hat trick during Korea DPR’s victory against Argentina.
• Yun Hyon Hi’s 78th-minute penalty kick, preceded by Kim Un Hwa’s 33rd-minute tally, helped North Korea overcome an early deficit to defeat Canada 2-1 on Aug. 27 to wrap up Group C play.

LAST TIME
On the field for the USA:
Aug. 27, 2012 – Miyagi Stadium; Rifu, Japan
2012 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup; Group D
USA   0
GER   3   Lotzen (2), Leupolz

Lineups:
USA: 1-Bryane Heaberlin; 4-Crystal Dunn, 8-Julie Johnston (capt.) (3-Cari Roccaro, 59), 15-Kassey Kallman, 2-Mollie Pathman; 16-Sarah Killion, 10-Vanessa DiBernardo (13-Samantha Mewis, 74), 6-Morgan Brian; 9-Chioma Ubogagu (7-Kealia Ohai, 54), 12-Katie Stengel, 5-Maya Hayes
Subs not used: 11-Becca Wann, 14-Mandy Laddish, 17-Taylor Schram, 18-Abby Smith, 19-Stephanie Amack, 20-Kelly Cobb, 21-Jami Kranich
Head Coach: Steve Swanson

GER: 1-Laura Benkarth; 2-Leonie Maier, 4-Jennifer Cramer, 5-Luisa Wensing, 7-Annabel Jaeger, 15-Karoline Heinze (8-Melanie Leupolz, 46), 18-Silvana Chojnowski, 20-Lina Magull, 10-Ramona Petzelberger (capt.) (6-Kathrin Hendrich, 46), 11-Lena Lotzen (9-Nicole Rolser, 69), 14-Dzsenifer Marozsan
Subs not used: 3-Carolin Simon, 12-Meike Kaemper, 13-Sophie Howard, 16-Anja Hegenauer, 17-Katharina Leiding, 19-Marie Pyko, 21-Anke Preuß
Head Coach: Maren Meinert

On the field vs. Korea DPR:
Dec. 7, 2008 – Estadio Municipal de la Florida; Santiago, Chile
2008 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup – Championship
USA   2   Leroux 23, Morgan 42
PRK   1   Hu Nam 92+

Lineups:
USA: 1-Alyssa Naeher; 6-Elli Reed, 15-Lauren Fowlkes, 17-Nikki Marshall, 3-Meghan Klingenberg; 11-Christine Nairn (12-Ingrid Wells 81), 14-Keelin Winters (capt.), 8-Becky Edwards; 16-Nikki Washington (10-Michelle Enyeart, 65), 13-Alex Morgan, 19-Sydney Leroux
Subs not used: 4-Liz Harkin, 5-Kierstan Dallstream, 7-Alyssa Mautz, 9-Gina DiMartino, 18-Chantel Jones, 21-Cat Parkill
Head Coach: Tony DiCicco

PRK: 1- Kim Un Ju; 3-Pak Kuk Hui, 16-Sin Sol Ryon, 17-Ri Un Hyang; 6-Kim Chun Hui, 7-Ri Ye Gyong, 9-Choe Un Ju, 12-Ri Jong Sim (10-Ri Hyon Suk, 42), 14-Hwang Song Mi; 11-Ra Un Sim (capt.), 20-Cha Hu Nam
Subs not used: Kim Hyon Sim, 4-Kim Hyang Mi, 5-Yun Song Mi, 8-Kim Chol Mi, 13-Ri Un Hye, 15-Ryom Su Ok, 18-Tak Un Mi, 19-Choe Yong Sim
Head Coach: Choe Kwang Sok