Women U20's Fall to Canada

Still Qualify for U-20 Olympics

June 29, 2008

The U-20 women nationals fell to Canada, 1-0, in the CONCACAF Championship Final Saturday, the lone goal scored by Canada in the 45th minute the only goal allowed by the United States in five games of the tournament.

Canada and the U.S. had already qualified for the 2008 FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup in Chile in late November, and will be joined by Mexico, who won the third-place game against Costa Rica on penalty kicks earlier in the night in the third place match.

“Today’s game was very frustrating,” said U.S. head coach Tony DiCicco. “It was one of those games where one defensive breakdown forced us to kind of chase the game. Our team showed great heart, created a lot of opportunities and fought until the end. Give Canada credit, as they never broke. We will have to learn from this game and move on.”

Canada took the first dangerous chance of the game, nearly getting on the board in the eighth minute. Sophie Schmidt moved forward and split a pair of American defenders to get into the box. As she wound up, Kaley Fountain got just enough pressure on Schmidt from behind to force her shot right into the hands of U.S. goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher.

In the 33rd minute, Casey Nogueira took the most dangerous shot for the U.S. in the first half. Kelley O’Hara beat her defender in the left corner and played the ball across for Nogueira, who ripped a shot from just outside the 18-yard-box that Canada goalkeeper Erin McNulty couldn’t hold onto, but the U.S. attackers couldn’t get to the rebound before she pounced on it.

A great individual effort from Canadian forward Karla Schacher put her team up in stoppage time of the first half and would prove to be the game-winner. She received the ball just across midfield and ran full speed at the U.S. defense, making a move and getting into the penalty area before curling a shot around Naeher and into the far side netting. It was one of just three shots on goals for Canada in the game, with each coming in the first half.

U.S. Under-20 Women’s National Team Match Report

Scoring Summary:
CAN – Karla Schacher (unassisted) 45+

Lineups:
USA: 1-Alyssa Naeher; 19-Keirstan Dallstream, 4-Nikki Marshall, 8-Kaley Fountain, 3-Meghan Klingenberg; 5-Keelin Winters, 9-Gina DiMartino (11-Christine Nairn, 65), 15-Casey Nogueira (25-Becky Edwards, 53);10-Kelley O’Hara, 13-Michelle Enyeart, 22-Sydney Leroux (14-Jessica McDonald, 46)

CAN: 1-Erin McNulty; 4-Alexandra Marton, 5-Myriam Bouchard, 8-Kaylen Kyle, 14-Monica Lamfest (2-Paige Adams), 12-Jonelle Filigno, 15-Rheanne Sleiman, 16-Sophie Schmidt, 17-Chelsea Stewart, 19-Karla Schacher, 11-Alysha Chapman (7-Jodi Ann Robinson, 85)

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