U20 Women Fall to China

Ticket Already Punched for Quarterfinals

November 28, 2008

TEMUCO, Chile – The U.S. Under-20 Women’s National Team fell 2-0 to China in the final Group B game of the 2008 FIFA Under-20 World Cup. Despite the result, the Americans clinched the top place in Group B and will return to Chillan to face England, who finished second place finisher in Group A, in the quarterfinals on Sunday.

England came from behind on the final day of Group A to draw 1-1 with New Zealand and slip into second place. France, who came from behind to defeat Argentina 3-1 in today’s other Group B game, will also advance as the second place team. They will take on Nigeria, who won Group A on Sunday in Coquimbo.

“I’d like to congratulate China on a very good game,” said U.S. head coach Tony DiCicco. “They are a very good team that probably deserves to be advancing to the second round. I think today we played hard, but didn’t always play smart. A defensive mistake led to the first goal and then we were chasing the game.”

China, needing a win to stay alive in the tournament, came out firing on all cylinders and took 18 shots to the USA's eight. China's defense earned its second shutout of the tournament by shutting down a powerful American attack that came into the game with six goals in the first two games.

The best chance for the U.S. in the first game came in the 42nd minute when Michelle Enyeart lofted a ball over the Chinese backline. Sydney Leroux battled captain Weng Xinzhi for the ball and was able to get a shot off inside the penalty area, but Weng knocked her off balance just enough to force a weak shot right at Zhang.

The first goal of the game came from a Li Danyang corner kick in the 49th minute. She whipped in a cross from the right side and Zhang won a header at the far post. She powered through the challenge and was able to reach around her defenders and touch it over the line.

China doubled their lead just seven minutes later on a rocket from Liu Shukun. Liu saw an opening and hit a driven shot from 25 yards out that snuck past Jones at the near post.

The U.S. will return to Chillan on Friday and will have two days of training leading up to Sunday's showdown with England.

U.S. UNDER-20 WOMEN'S NATIONAL TEAM MATCH REPORT

Scoring Summary:
CHN – Zhang Rui (Li Dangyang) 49th minute
CHN – Liu Shukun (unassisted) 59th

Lineups:
USA: 18-Chantel Jones; 25-Kierstan Dallstream (6-Elli Reed, 9), 15-Lauren Fowlkes, 17-Nikki Marshall, 2-Kaley Fountain; 14-Keelin Winters (capt.), 9-Gina DiMartino (12-Ingrid Wells, 62), 11-Christine Nairn; 10-Michelle Enyeart, 7-Alyssa Mautz (13-Alex Morgan, 62), 19-Sydney Leroux

CHN: 20-Zhang Yue; 2-Wang Lingling, 3-Li Danyang, 5-Weng Xinzhi (capt.), 18-Pang Fengyue (8-Zhu Wei 90+); 6-Zhang Rui, 7-Xu Wenjia (9-Gu Yasha, 46), 10-Lou Jiahui, 15-Qu Shanshan, 17-Liu Shukun; 12-Li Wen

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