USA falls to the Netherlands 3-0 in FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup group play

SAN JOSÉ, Costa Rica – The U.S. Under-20 Women’s Youth National Team fell to Netherlands 3-0 in its second match of the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup, setting up a crucial meeting with Japan on Aug. 17 in the final Group D match of for both teams.

Despite putting together a solid attacking performance and outshooting the Dutch, 14-11, the U.S. was lacking in both penalty boxes and now will need at least a two-goal victory over Japan to ensure advancement to the quarterfinals.

After defeating Ghana, 2-0, today in its second Group D match on two penalty kicks, Japan leads the group with six points and plus-3 goal difference. The USA and the Netherlands are tied on points with three each, but the Dutch have a plus-2 goal difference to the USA’s zero. If the USA can win by two goals over Japan, it would give both teams six points, but the Americans would have a plus-2 goal difference, which is the first tiebreaker, and Japan would be at plus-1, putting the USA ahead of the Japanese no matter the result of the Ghana-Netherlands match, which will be contested at the same time. If Ghana and Netherlands draw, the USA can advance with any victory over Japan.

The match against Japan will take place on Wednesday, Aug. 17 at Estadio Morera Soto in Alajuela (7 p.m. ET; FS2).

The USA came out with energy and was on the front foot early as midfielder and team captain Talia DellaPeruta tested the Dutch goalkeeper from the top of the box and forced a save three minutes into the match. Netherlands returned the favor a few minutes later as a long ball off a goal kick resulted in forward Ziva Henry trying to catch USA goalkeeper Neeku Purcell off her line from distance, but her shot went wide.

Those early chances set the tone for what would be a back-and-forth attacking affair with both sides creating a plethora of dangerous chances. Netherlands opened the scoring in the 31^st minute off a corner kick that was sent back into the middle off the head of Marit Auée and forward Sane Koopman looped her header over U.S. goalkeeper Neeku Purcell and just under the cross bar. The USA put the ball into the net nine minutes later courtesy of a quality finish by forward Ally Sentnor, but her goal was correctly waved off due to her being offside by inches.

Energized by three halftime substitutions, the U.S. threatened early in the second half, but Netherlands doubled their lead in the 55^th after midfielder Dana Foederer scored from 30 yards out with an impressive strike from the right side that flew over Purcell and dropped into the upper left corner. The Dutch added to their lead in the 62^nd minute after drawing a foul inside penalty box which Auée converted for the final margin.

Netherlands played the final eight minutes of the match down a woman after defender Samantha Van Diemen committed a last defender foul on halftime substitute Michelle Cooper as she burst behind the defense. The foul first earned a yellow card, but the play was then sent to VAR review, and it was changed to a red. The USA strung together a handful of chances at the end of the match but were poor in their final passes and finishing all night.

GOAL SCORING RUNDOWN:

• NED – Sane Koopman (Marit Auée), 31st minute – A Netherlands corner kick from the right side was headed up in the air by Auée and back across the box for Koopman, who lobbed a header over goalkeeper Neeku Purcell and just under the crossbar to open the scoring from eight yards out.  USA 0, NED 1
• NED – Dana Foederer (Ziva Henry), 55th minute – Foederer received the ball 30 yards out on the right side of the field and fired a powerful, high strike toward the back post that dropped into the upper left corner on a spectacular strike. USA 0, NED 2
• NED – Marit Auée (Penalty Kick), 62nd minute – A USA foul in the box resulted in a penalty kick for Netherlands. Auée stepped up to the spot and converted high and to the left to extend the lead. USA 0, NED 3

ADDITIONAL NOTES:

• Goalkeeper Neeku Purcell made her seventh career international appearance and sixth start, recording four saves on the night in her first World Cup appearance.

• Tonight marked this team’s first loss in 2022 and of this cycle, ending a 13-game unbeaten run which included 12 wins and one draw – which came against Netherlands on June 28 in France.

-U.S. UNDER-20 WOMEN’S YOUTH NATIONAL TEAM MATCH REPORT-

Match: United States Under-20 Women’s Youth National Team vs. Netherlands U-20 Women’s National Team

Date: Aug. 14, 2022
Competition: 2022 FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup – Group D
Venue: Estadio Nacional; San Jose, Costa Rica
Attendance: 2,652
Kickoff: 5 p.m. local (7 p.m. ET)
Weather: 68 degrees, cloudy

Scoring Summary:   1          2          F
USA                            0          0          0
NED                             1          2          3
NED – Sanne Koopman (Marit Auée)                        32^nd minute
NED — Dana Foederer (Ziva Henry)                          55
NED — Marit Auée (Penalty Kick)                              62

Lineups:

USA: 12-Neeku Purcell, 3-Ayo Oke (4-Emily Mason, 46), 16-Lauren Flynn, 5-Lilly Reale, 18-Samar Guidry; 6-Talia DellaPeruta (Capt.), 13-Olivia Moultrie (14-Carina Lageyre, 67), 10-Jaedyn Shaw, 15-Trinity Byars (7-Alyssa Thompson, 46), 20-Ally Sentnor (9-Michelle Cooper, 46), 8-Andrea Kitahata (11-Simone Jackson, 67)

Substitutes Not Used: 1-Mia Justus, 2-Laney Rouse, 17-Annie Karich, 19-Korbin Albert, 21-Teagan Wy

Head Coach: Tracey Kevins

NED: 16-Lisan Alkemade; 2-Kim Everaerts, 3-Marit Auée, 4-Samantha Van Diemen, 14-Senna Koeleman; 6-Dana Foederer, 10-Danique Noordman (17-Zera Hulswit, 65), 20-Rosa Van Gool; 7-Liz Rijsbergen (5-Nina Nijstad, 84), 9-Sanne Koopman (19-Charlotte Hulst, 46), 11-Ziva Henry (12-Tess Van Bentem, 84)

Substitutes not used: 1-Claire Dinkla, 13-Fenna Meijer, 15-Jeva Walk, 18-Shi-Jona Martina, 21-Femke Liefting  

Unavailable: 8-Ella Peddemors

Head coach: Jessica Torny

Stats Summary: USA / NED
Shots: 14 / 11
Shots on Goal: 7 / 7
Saves: 4 / 7
Corner Kicks: 7 / 3
Fouls: 6 / 3
Offside: 2 / 2

Misconduct Summary:
NED — Samantha Van Diemen (Ejection)                82nd minute

Officials:
Referee: Yujeong Kim (KOR)
1^st Assistant Referee: Ramina Tsoi (KGZ)
2^nd Assistant Referee: Misuk Park (KOR)
4^th Official: Elizabeth Tintaya (PER)
VAR: Esther Staubli (SUI)
AVAR 1: Sarah Ho (AUS)
AVAR 2: Fatiha Jermoumi (MAR)