U.S. U-23 WNT defeats Norway 2-1 at Nordic Tournament
BURTON-UPON-TRENT, England (Via U.S. Soccer) – The U.S. Under-23 Women’s National Team won for the second time in two games at the four-team U-23 Women’s Nordic Tournament, defeating Norway 2-1 on goals from Tyler Lussi and Savannah Jordan.
The tournament is taking place at the St. George’s Park Football Centre, the National Training Center of the England FA in Burton-upon-Trent, located about 130 miles north of London.
In its final match of the competition on June 7, the USA will face the U-23 Women’s National Teams of England and can win the tournament with a victory or a tie. In this tournament, teams are awarded one point for a tie at the end of regulation and then the matches go to penalty kicks, with the winner of the shootout getting an additional point.
+Read: U.S. U-17 WNT defeats Switzerland U-19 WNT 2-1 in friendly
With the current point standings after two games for each team as follows – USA (6), England (5), Norway (1) and Sweden (0) – should the USA and England tie, and England win the shootout, both teams would have seven points, but the USA would still take the title on goal difference as it’s currently at +3 while England is at +1.
The USA opened the scoring in the 42nd minute after McKenzie Meehan won a ball deep in the Norway half on the left wing and played a short square pass centrally to Lussi who crushed a shot from 20 yards off the underside of the cross bar. The ball bounced down just over the goal line to give the USA a 1-0 lead.
The USA scored three minutes into the second half as Rachel Hill played a pass to Jordan who was making a run up the middle. Confronted by two defenders at the top of the penalty box, Jordan danced with the ball a bit before playing a pass for Lussi out on the left side of the penalty area. Lussi beat a defender to the inside and played it back to Jordan, who evaded three defenders before smacking a low left-footer under the ‘keeper and into the net to make it 2-0.
It was Jordan’s third goal of the tournament after she scored twice in a 3-1 win against Sweden on June 2.
Norway scored in the 71st minute, but would not beat U.S. goalkeeper Madalyn Schiffel again.
U.S. U-23 Women’s National Team Match Report
Match: United States U-23 WNT v. Norway U-23 WNT
Date: June 4, 2016
Competition: U-23 Women’s Nordic Tournament
Venue: St. George’s Park Football Centre; Burton-upon-Trent, United Kingdom
Weather: 60 degrees, sunny
Scoring Summary: 1 2 F
USA 1 1 2
NOR 0 1 1
USA – Tyler Lussi (McKenzie Meehan) 42nd minute
USA – Savannah Jordan (Tyler Lussi) 48
NOR – Johanne Fridlund (Amalie Velve Eikeland) 71
Lineups:
USA: 22-Madalyn Schiffel; 14-Christina Gibbons, 16-Kirsten Crowley, 5-Maddie Bauer, 20-Caroline Flynn (15-Brittany Basinger, 81), 13-McKenzie Meehan (4-Rachel Hill, 46), 6-Andi Sullivan (capt.) (2-Claire Falknor, 71), 10-Morgan Proffitt, 7-Margaret Purce (11-Toni Payne, 46), 25-Ashley Herndon (3-Savannah Jordan, 46), 17-Tyler Lussi
Subs Not Used: 1-Jane Campbell, 18-Stephanie Rebeiro
Head Coach: Janet Rayfield
NOR: 2-Cecilie Redisch Kvamme (13-Mali Lilleas Naess, 59); 3-Ingrid Katrine Buer Sondena (16-Lena Soleng Hansen, 64), 5-Nora Byom-Nilssen, 6-Vilde Boe Risa (18-Ingrid Marie Spord, 59), 7-Karina Saevik, 9-Andrea Segnant Thun (14-Pernille Velta, 80), 10-Guro Reiten (17-Andrine Hegerberg, 46), 11-Synne Sofie Kinden Jensen (8-Johanne Fridlund, 64), 15-Stine Pettersen Reinas, 20-Amalie Vevle Eikeland
Subs Not Used: 1-Mari Johnsen Johnasen
Head Coach: Nils Lexerod
Stats Summary: USA / NOR
Shots: 11 / 9
Shots on Goal: 8 / 8
Saves: 7 / 6
Corner Kicks: 1 / 3
Fouls: 9 / 13
Offside: 0 / 1
Misconduct Summary:
NOR – Stine Pettersen Reinas (caution) 32nd minute
Officials:
Referee: Andrew Hendley
Assistant Referee 1: Jessica Lawson
Assistant Referee 2: Daniel Evans
4th Official: Kevin Caroll
2016 U-23 Women’s Nordic Tournament Results
June 2
USA 3, Sweden 1
England 1, Norway 1*
June 4
USA 2, Norway 1
England 1, Sweden 0
June 7
USA vs. England
Sweden vs. Norway
*England won in penalty kicks. Tournament rules award teams one point for a tie and one point for a penalty kick win.
