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U.S. U-20 WNT Controls Own Fate in Group B Against China PR

U-20 WNT Aug 11, 2014

U.S. U-20 Women’s National Team vs. China PR
2014 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup
Moncton Stadium; Moncton, Canada
Aug. 12, 2014

U.S. U-20 WNT NEEDS WIN OR TIE VS. CHINA PR TO ADVANCE: Coming off a dramatic 1-0 victory against Brazil in its second Group B match at the 2014 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup, the U.S. Under-20 Women’s National Team controls its fate in the group finale against China PR. The USA can guarantee passage to the quarterfinals with a win. The U.S. could also advance with a tie, provided Germany ties or falls to Brazil in the other Group B match being played in Montreal. The USA traveled from Edmonton on Aug. 9 to Moncton in the far east of Canada and will face China on Aug. 12 (5 p.m. local/4 p.m. ET on ESPN3). Fans can also follow all the matches of the U.S. U-20s on Twitter @ussoccer_wnt. For full coverage, visit the FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup tournament page on ussoccer.com.

GROUP B SUMMARY: While dramatic, the USA’s 1-0 victory against Brazil was nothing like the first match in Group B, a remarkable 5-5 tie between Germany and China PR the likes of which has never been seen before in a Women’s World Cup at any level. Germany led 2-1 at halftime, but then the craziness ensued. Both teams led in the game twice and neither team led by more than a goal. There were six goals scored in a 23-minute span in the second half. Germany gave up just one goal in the entire 2012 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup. The combination of results puts the USA in a favorable position to advance. After the opening game loss to Germany, the U.S. was likely going to have to win both of its final group games to secure advancement no matter the results of the other matches. The USA currently sits in second place in Group B with three points behind Germany (4) and ahead of China PR (2) and Brazil (1).

USA Quarterfinal Advancement Scenarios:

  • The USA will advance to the Aug. 16 quarterfinals with a victory against China PR on Tuesday.
  • The U.S. can also advance with a draw against China PR, combined with a Brazil draw or loss to Germany.
  • A USA win, combined with a Germany draw or loss to Brazil, would give the U.S. first place in the group and a matchup against the No. 2 finisher in Group A. Korea DPR leads that group with six points, followed by host Canada and Ghana with three points apiece. Canada faces Korea DPR and Ghana takes on Finland in the final matches of Group A.

2014 U.S. U-20 FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP SCHEDULE & RESULTS:

Date

Opponent

Time (ET)

TV/U.S. GOAL SCORERS

Venue

Aug. 5

Germany

0-2 L

 –

Commonwealth Stadium;

Edmonton, Canada

Aug. 8

Brazil

1-0 W

Horan

Commonwealth Stadium;

Edmonton, Canada

Aug. 12

China PR

4 p.m.

ESPN3

Moncton Stadium; Moncton, Canada

 

Group B Standings

GP

W

L

T

GF

GA

GD

Pts

Germany

2

1

0

1

7

5

+2

4

USA

2

1

1

0

1

2

-1

3

China PR

2

0

0

2

6

6

0

2

Brazil

2

0

1

1

1

2

-1

1

Group B Schedule

Tuesday, Aug. 5
USA 0, Germany 2
China PR 1, Brazil 1 

Friday, Aug. 8
Germany 5, China PR 5
USA 1. Brazil 0 

Tuesday, Aug. 12
USA vs. China PR
Germany vs. Brazil 

TURF TIME:  For the first time, three of the four stadiums for the 2014 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup are featuring artificial surfaces. This is the third FIFA youth women’s tournament to have games on artificial turf. The 2014 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Costa Rica and the 2012 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Azerbaijan also had matches on turf. Three of the four stadiums – Edmonton, Moncton and Montréal, where the final will be played – will also be used for the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup. Should the USA advance in second place in Group B, they would get a quarterfinal game on grass at the National Soccer Stadium in Toronto.

TOURNAMENT FORMAT: The 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 advance to the quarterfinal stage on Aug. 16 and 17. The semifinals will take place Wednesday, Aug. 20, in Montreal and Moncton and the final and third-place matches will be held on Sunday, Aug. 24, in Montreal. Players eligible for this age group tournament must have been born on or after Jan. 1, 1994.

CONSISTENT U.S. PRESENCE: The USA has competed in all six 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 it moved 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 finished fifth in 2010 in Germany. The USA returned to the top of the podium in 2012, winning the tournament in Japan on a goal from Kealia Ohai in the championship game. The U-19 tournaments featured 12 teams while the last four – including Canada – featured 16.

U.S. ROSTER BY POSITION – DETAILED

GOALKEEPERS (3): 18-Jane Campbell (Stanford; Kennesaw, Ga.), 21-Rose Chandler (Penn State; Atlanta, Ga.), 1-Katelyn Rowland (UCLA; Vacaville, Calif.)
DEFENDERS (6): 16-Stephanie Amack (Stanford; Pleasanton, Calif.), 4-Brittany Basinger (Penn State; Purcellville, Va.), 2-Christina Gibbons (Duke; Raleigh, N.C.), 20-Katie Naughton (Notre Dame; Elk Grove Village, Ill.), 19-Kaleigh Riehl (BRYC; Fairfax Station, Va.), 3-Cari Roccaro (Notre Dame; East Islip, N.Y.)
MIDFIELDERS (6): 13-Carlyn Baldwin (Tennessee; Oakton, Va.), 14-Nickolette Driesse (Florida State: Wayne, N.J.), 5-Rose Lavelle (Wisconsin; Cincinnati, Ohio), 12-Mallory Pugh (Real Colorado; Highlands Ranch, Colo.), 6-Taylor Racioppi (PDA; Ocean Township, N.J.), 17-Andi Sullivan (Bethesda SC; Lorton, Va.)
FORWARDS (6): 9-Makenzy Doniak (Virginia; Chino Hills, Calif.), 8-Summer Green (North Carolina; Milford, Mich.), 11-Rachel Hill (Connecticut; Rollinsford, N.H.), 10-Lindsey Horan (Paris Saint-Germain; Golden, Colo.), 7-Savannah Jordan (Florida; Fayetteville, Ga.), 15-Margaret Purce (Harvard; Silver Spring, Md.) 

U-20 WNT ON USSOCCER.COM:

U.S. ROSTER NOTES:

  • For the second match in a row, U.S. head coach Michelle French used all three subs. She was forced to make a 37th minute change due to an injury to Mallory Pugh, sending on Taylor Racioppi. In the second half, Summer Green replaced Makenzy Doniak in the 66th minute and Rachel Hill went on for Margaret Purce in the 82nd minute.
  • The USA scored seconds after Hill came into the match as Racioppi won a header in midfield and the ball eventually was dug out of the right corner by Green, who out-dueled two Brazilian defenders, turned the corner and set up Lindsey Horan’s goal with a perfect pass into the box.
  • Against Germany, Doniak replaced Savannah Jordan at halftime, midfielder Carlyn Baldwin replaced Andi Sullivan in the 74th minute and forward Green came on for Purce in the 76th minute. Green hit the left post in stoppage time.
  • French made two changes to the starting lineup from the Germany to the Brazil game as Doniak replaced Jordan up top and Christina Gibbons replaced Brittany Basinger at left back.
  • The match against Brazil marked the first caps at the U-20 level for Gibbons and Taylor and the first international cap at any level for Gibbons. Taylor earned 14 caps and scored two goals at the U-17 level.
  • Pugh suffered a sprained ankle on a nasty tackle that could have warranted a red card, but had a negative X-ray and is listed as day-to-day.
  • Brazil out-shot the USA 14-13 and had eight shots on goal to the USA’s six, but the Americans created a few more dangerous chances and only one of Brazil’s shots came inside the penalty area. The USA did have seven corner kicks to Brazil’s four.
  • The USA out-shot Germany 21-18 and fired 16 shots on goal. At the 2012 U-20 WWC, the USA took 18 shots on goal over the entire three games of the first round. The most shots on goal the USA had in a game in 2012 was nine.
  • Baldwin’s substitute appearance against Germany was just her second U-20 cap.
  • The official attendance for the USA-Germany match, which was a doubleheader with the other Group B match between China PR and Brazil, was 10,101. For the USA-Brazil match, the announced attendance was 10,025.
  • U.S. midfielder Rose Lavelle received a yellow card in the first half against Germany and Lindsey Horan received one against Brazil for an accidental elbow to the nose of a Brazilian player in the first half. Two yellow cards result in a one-game suspension during the World Cup, although cards are erased after the quarterfinal round.
  • The age cut-off date for this Women’s World Cup is Jan. 1, 1994. Eight of the 21 players selected by French were born in 1994, eight were born in 1995, three were born in 1996, one in 1997 and one in 1998, meaning five players on the 2014 roster will be age-eligible for the 2016 FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup.
  • Pugh, who is the youngest player on the roster and was born in 1998, could play in three consecutive U-20 Women’s World Cups. She will not turn 17 until April of next year.
  • French selected one rising high school junior (Pugh), two rising high school seniors (Racioppi and Kaleigh Riehl), three graduating high school seniors (Andi Sullivan, Baldwin and Rose Chandler) who will be freshmen in college this fall, 10 rising college sophomores, four rising juniors and one rising senior in Katelyn Rowland.
  • Thirteen different colleges are represented on the roster, led by Stanford with three players. Penn State and Notre Dame each have two players.
  • Seventeen different youth clubs are represented on the roster.
  • Twelve different states are represented, led by Virginia with four players and California and Georgia with three players each. New Jersey and Colorado each have two players.
  • Eleven different players have scored for the USA in international matches this year, nine of whom made the World Cup roster. Linsdey Horan leads the team with nine international goals this year and is the top scorer in this cycle with 22 career U-20 goals.
  • Two players on the U.S. roster were a part of the USA’s 2012 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup Team in Japan: defender Cari Roccaro (5 games/4 starts, 422 minutes) and defender Stephanie Amack (DNP).  Roccaro played the final 30 minutes in the group match against Germany and all 90 minutes in the final.
  • Five players on this year’s U-20 roster played for the USA in the 2012 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Azerbaijan: defender Brittany Basinger (3/3, 270, 1 assist), forward Summer Green (3/3, 261, 2 goals), forward Margaret Purce (1/1, 62), midfielder Andi Sullivan (3/3, 261) and goalkeeper Jane Campbell (3/3, 225).
  • The USA was forced to make a change to its World Cup roster after it was named on July 17 as Rachel Hill replaced McKenzie Meehan due to injury. Meehan was the USA’s leading scorer at the qualifying tournament with six goals.

IN FOCUS: CHINA PR
Chinese Football Association
Founded: 1924 (Joined FIFA in 1931)
Head Coach: Wang Jun  
Best FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup Finishes: Runners-up (2006 and 2008)

USA VS. CHINA PR SERIES:

  • The U.S. and China PR have faced each other three times during the U-20 Women’s World Cup competition with China earning one win while two of the games ended in ties (one which went to penalty kicks where China prevailed).
  • On Aug. 23, 2012, the USA and China played in group play in Hiroshima. China scored early and then bunkered. The USA managed a 1-1 draw on a goal from Maya Hayes, but could not get the winner. The USA and Germany advanced out of the group.
  • On Nov. 26, 2008, China’s Zhang Rui and Liu Shukun each scored second-half goals to defeat the USA in the third match of first round play, but the USA had already clinched the group and the USA and France advanced through the group stage, while China and Argentina were eliminated. The U.S. would eventually win the tournament with a 2-1 victory against Korea DPR in the championship in Chile.
  • On Aug. 31, 2006, China and the USA played to a scoreless draw through regulation, with the U.S. controlling the play with a 10-2 shots on goal advantage and a 29-11 shots margin. That set the stage for a tightly contested shootout in which both teams scored on their first four attempts. The fifth attempts included each team hitting the frame, with China’s Ma Xiaoxu’s shot hitting the crossbar and Brittany Bock’s hitting the post for the USA. For the sixth attempt, China’s Wei Zhu converted her attempt and the USA’s Lauren Cheney missed her shot as China PR advanced to the championship. China was the runner-up to Korea DPR in Russia.

CHINA PR ROSTER

GOALKEEPERS (3): 1-Lu Feifei (Jiangsu Huatai), 20-Li Mengyu (Henan Steel), 21-Nan Yang (Zhejiang Hangzhou Xizi)
DEFENDERS (6): 2-Yao Lingwei (Jiangsu Huatai), 3-Zhong Xiudong (Guangdong Haiyin), 4-Zhao Yingying (Dalian Shide), 5-Lyu Siqi (Army Club), 12-Li Xiang (Changchun Huaxin), 13-Li Mengwen  (Jiangsu Huatai)
MIDFIELDERS (9): 6-Lei Jiahui (Henan Steel), 7-Liu Yanqiu (Wuhan Jiangda Univ.), 8-Dong Jiabao (Henan Steel), 10-Tang Jiali (Shanghai Women), 11-Zhang Zhu (Beijing Baxy), 14-Tan Ruyin (Guangdong FC), 15-Shi Tianlun (Shanghai Women), 16-Zhao Xinzhai (Jiangsu Huatai), 17-Zhu Beiyan (Shanghai Women)
FORWARDS (3): 9-Zhang Chen (Beijing Baxy), 18-Wang Shuang (Wuhan Jiangda Univ.), 19-Xiao Yuyi (Shanghai Women) 

CHINA PR NOTES:

  • China has a strong history in this tournament, having finished as runner-up in two consecutive U-20 Women’s World Cups in 2004 and 2006.
  • The Chinese have since failed to progress beyond the group phase. The Steel Rosebuds suffered an early exit in a difficult group also featuring eventual champions USA and semifinalists France at Chile 2008 and, after missing qualification for Germany 2010, they were eliminated during the group stage in Japan in 2012.
  • China PR finished in third place in the Asian qualifying tournament, which it hosted, to earn its berth to Canada. They opened with a 2-2 draw against the Korea Republic, fell 1-0 to Korea DPR and then earned a hard-fought and crucial 2-1 win over Australia before drawing 2-2 against Japan. China wrapped up the tournament with a resounding 8-0 demolition of Myanmar to seal third place and qualification.
  • China has battled for two well-earned ties in group play so far. Against Brazil in the opening game, substitute Zhang Zhu's 89th-minute equalizer was enough to earn a 1-1 tie. China put together a remarkable performance in a pouring rain against Germany, getting two goals from Zhu Beiyan (one from the penalty spot) and one each from Tang Jiali, Lei Jiahui and Zhang Chen.
  • Against Brazil, China was down 2-1 at halftime before equalizing early in the second half. China then took the lead 3-2, allowed an equalizer to Germany to make it 3-3, took the lead again 4-3, allowed Germany to score two in a row before knotting the match at 5-5 in the 80th minute.

 

LAST TIME
On the field for the USA:
Aug. 8, 2014 – Commonwealth Stadium; Edmonton, Canada
2014 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup; Group B

USA                1          Horan 82       
BRA               0         

Lineups:
USA: 1-Katelyn Rowland; 16-Stephanie Amack, 3-Cari Roccaro (capt.), 20-Katie Naughton, 2-Christina Gibbons; 5-Rose Lavelle, 17-Andi Sullivan, 12-Mallory Pugh (6-Taylor Racioppi, 37); 15-Margaret Purce (11-Rachel Hill, 82), 10-Lindsey Horan, 9-Makenzy Doniak (8-Summer Green, 66)
Subs Not Used: 4-Brittany Basinger, 7-Savannah Jordan, 13-Carlyn Baldwin, 14-Nickolette Driesse, 18-Jane Campbell, 19-Kaleigh Riehl, 21-Rose Chandler
Head Coach: Michelle French

BRA: 12-Leticia; 2-Letícia Santos, 4-Julia, 5-Gabi, 6-Camila, 8-Djeni, 9-Byanca (17-Nenê, 60), 10-Andressa (capt.), 11-Patrícia (19-Rafaela, 73), 13-Nágela, 18-Carol (7-Duda, 80)
Subs Not Used: 1-Nicole, 3-Thaynara, 14-Caroline, 15-Gabi Lira, 16-Tipa, 20-Gabrielle, 21-Bussato
Head Coach: Doriva Bueno

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