US SOCCER NEWS — September 2, 2012 at 8:23 pm

U.S. U-20 Women’s National Team vs. Nigeria 2012 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup – Semifinal Tokyo’s National Stadium; Tokyo, Japan

by


Sept. 2, 2012

 

U.S. U-20 WNT FACES NIGERIA IN SEMIFINALS: The U.S. Under-20 Women’s National Team is one victory away from advancing to the 2012 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup Final as it faces Nigeria in the semifinals on Tuesday, Sept. 4, at Tokyo’s National Stadium in Japan. Live coverage of the match starts at 2:50 a.m. ET on ESPNU and ESPN3. The USA is coming off a hard-fought 2-1 overtime victory against Korea DPR on Friday, Aug. 31.

Fans can follow all matches of the U.S. U-20s on ussoccer.com’s MatchTracker and on Twitter @ussoccer_ynt. For a full tournament schedule and results, visit the FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup tournament page on ussoccer.com.

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

Date Opponent Result/Time (ET) U.S. Goalscorers/TV Venue
Aug. 20 Ghana 4-0 W Own goal; Hayes (3)  Hiroshima Big Arch Stadium; Hiroshima, Japan
Aug. 23 China PR 1-1 T Hayes Hiroshima Big Arch Stadium; Hiroshima, Japan
Aug. 27 Germany 0-3 L Miyagi Stadium; Rifu, Japan
Aug. 31 Korea DPR  2-1 W (OT) DiBernardo, Ubogagu  Komaba Stadium; Saitama, Japan
Sept. 4 Nigeria 3 a.m. ESPNU, ESPN3 Tokyo’s National Stadium; Tokyo, Japan

 

QUARTERFINAL ROUNDUP

  • USA 2, Korea DPR 1 (OT): U.S. forward Chioma Ubogagu scored the game-winning goal in the 98th minute on Aug. 31 at Komaba Stadium in Saitama, Japan, to help the USA advance to the semifinals. Vanessa DiBernardo gave the USA a 1-0 lead in the 52nd minute and Korea DPR’s Kim Su Gyong equalized in the 75th minute. Ubogagu’s and DiBernardo’s goals were the first U.S. goals in the U-20 World Cup that were not by Maya Hayes, who scored all four USA tallies through the first three matches of the tournament.
  • Nigeria 1, Mexico 0: Both teams played through a scoreless regulation and Nigeria’s Desire Oparanozie broke the stalemate with the game’s lone goal in the 109th minute on Thursday, Aug. 30, at Tokyo’s National Stadium. Nigeria advanced to its second straight U-20 World Cup semifinal. Nigeria out-shot Mexico 33-17 and 10-4 on goal.
  • Germany 4, Norway 0: Lena Lotzen scored goals in the fifth and 20th minutes to lead Germany past Norway on Aug. 31 in Saitama, Japan. Teammates Melanie Leupolz (seventh minute) and Luisa Wensing (85th minute) also scored goals for Germany, the defending U-20 World Cup champion and a two-time winner of the tournament. Germany had 11 shots on goal to Norway’s two.
  • Japan 3, Korea Republic 1: Hanae Shibata scored goals in the eighth and 19th minutes to lead host Japan to a quarterfinal victory over Korea Republic on Aug. 30 in front of nearly 25,000 spectators at Tokyo’s National Stadium. Yoko Tanaka added an insurance goal in the 37th minute.

 

The USA and Germany have advanced to five U-19/U-20 World Cup semifinals, Nigeria prepares for its second semifinal and Japan advances to its first semifinal.

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.)

 

ON USSOCCER.COM
U-20 Home Page:

Video:

Studio 90:

Inside the Lines:

Features:

Post-Game Quote Sheets:

Releases:

The WNT Blog:

 

U.S. ROSTER NOTES

 

  • Maya Hayes leads all 2012 U-20 Women’s World Cup players with four goals. Hayes scored a hat trick against Ghana and had the lone U.S. goal in the 1-1 draw against China PR during the group stage of the tournament.
  • Midfielder Samantha Mewis leads the U.S. U-20s with six assists in international competition this year in 760 minutes of play.

For more roster notes and “by the numbers,” visit ussoccer.com.

 

IN FOCUS: NIGERIA

 

  • Nigeria Football Association
  • Founded: 1945 (Joined FIFA in 1960)
  • Head Coach: Okon Edwin
  • Best FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup Finish: Second place (2010)

 

USA vs. NIGERIA SERIES

 

  • In the only appearance between the U.S. and Nigeria in a U-20 Women’s World Cup, Nigeria defeated the USA in a penalty kick shootout during the quarterfinals of the 2010 tournament on July 25 in Augsburg, Germany.
  • The U.S. and Nigeria were level at 1-1 through regulation and overtime before Nigeria converted on all four of its PK chances. The USA converted on two of its four PK chances, with Mollie Pathman and Kristie Mewis converting while Christine Nairn’s attempt was saved and Sydney Leroux’s final chance went over the frame.

Leave a Reply

— required *

— required *