U17s Advance to World Cup Final

Overcome 1-0 Deficit to Beat Germany, 2-1

November 14, 2008

The USA will now face Korea DPR in the final on Nov. 16 at North Harbour Stadium in Auckland. The skillful North Koreans edged a gritty England side by a 2-1 score in the other semifinal to earn their place in the title match.

The U.S. U-17s, which lost its first game of this tournament to Japan, advanced to the final courtesy of goals from Vicki DiMartino and Courtney Verloo.

The dramatic winning goal came in the 81st minute after U.S. defender Amber Brooks found herself with some space in the center of the field about 45 yards from the German net. She sent a canon ball shot that froze German goalkeeper Anna Sarholz as it smacked off the upper right corner of the goal and bounced into the middle of the penalty area. U.S. midfielder Julia Roberts was first to the ball, but couldn’t get a solid hit on it and it was swept away by a retreating Germany defender. The ball bounced fortuitously to Verloo, who showed composure and class by pounding the ball home from six yard out to make it 2-1.

Earlier, it looked as if it might be the Germans day, as they tallied just six minutes into the game after starting the match by putting the USA under intense pressure. The goal came off a corner kick from the left side as Dzsenifer Marozans drilled her service into the middle of the box and 5-foot-9-inch Alexandra Popp powered her way to the ball before sending a bullet header into the USA’s net from six yards out.

In the 40th minute, Kristie Mewis (Hanson, Mass.) wiggled free at the top of the penalty box and cut a shot through traffic that beat Sarholz, but not the right post, hitting it squarely before the Germans cleared. Five minutes later, Samantha Mewis sent a bullet header off the middle of the crossbar from 10 yards out and the USA had to go into halftime down a goal.

Against South Korea in the USA’s quarterfinal match, midfielder Erika Tymrak entered the game in the 81st minute and sent up a goal just three minutes later. She bettered that against Germany, coming on the 61st minute before setting up DiMartino’s 63rd minute equalizer.

Tymrak ran at two German defenders down the right flank, creating enough space near the end line to loop a cross into the middle. The ball flew over the Germany goalkeeper and dropped at the far post for DiMartino to bundle into the net from close range.

It was DiMartino’s fifth goal in five games, making her the only player to score in all five of her matches at the U-17 Women’s World Cup.

The U.S. team now travels back to Auckland and will have two rest days to prepare for the U-17 Women’s World Cup Final.

U.S. UNDER-17 WOMEN'S NATIONAL TEAM GAME REPORT

Scoring Summary:
GER – Alexandra Popp (Dzsenifer Marozsan) 6th minute
USA – Vicki DiMartino (Erika Tymrak) 63rd
USA – Courtney Verloo 81st

Lineups:
USA: 18-Taylor Vancil; 4-Crystal Dunn, 6-Cloee Colohan, 17-Rachel Quon; 11-Samantha Mewis, 3-Amber Brooks, 13-Julia Roberts, 10-Kristie Mewis (capt.), 20-Olivia Klei (5-Erika Tymrak, 61); 8-Vicki DiMartino (9-Samantha Johnson, 92), 7-Courtney Verloo

GER: 1-Anna Sarholz; 3-Inka Wesely, 4-Valeria Kleiner (capt.), 5-Carolin Simon, 20-Leonie Maier; 6-Marie-Louise Bagehorn (14-Ivana Rudelic, 83), 7-Turid Knaak, 8-Lynn Mester; 9-Tabea Kemme (18-Svenja Huth, 85), 10-Dzsenifer Marozsan, 11-Alexandra Popp

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