https://www.futbolmundial.com/ Trailing Germany by two and about two minutes from elimination, the U.S. Under- 20 Women’s Youth National Team conjured a comeback for the ages and went on to win an unforgettable FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup quarterfinal in penalty kicks, 3-1, after a 2-2 draw over 120-minutes that was closer to 130 with all the added time, and those were previous minutes that the USA would dearly need.
Two stoppage-time goals in under 90 seconds, by substitute Jordynn Dudley and captain Ally Sentnor, rescued the USA at the Estadio Pascual Guerrero. Sentnor then converted the Americans’ opening penalty and there was no denying them from there as goalkeeper Teagan Wy made one save and the U-20s advanced to the World Cup’s last four for the first time since 2016. The U.S. will meet Korea DPR, the reigning Asian champions, on Sept. 18 at 5:30 p.m. ET at the Pascual Guerrero for a place in the Sept. 22 World Cup Final in Bogotá.
The Cali quarterfinal marked the eighth meeting between the USA and Germany, women’s soccer’s most decorated nations, at a FIFA U-20 World Cup. This one, the first since a group-stage encounter in 2014, will be long remembered.
U.S. coach Tracey Kevins’ initial lineup featured one first-time World Cup starter. Orlando Pride rookie Ally Lemos was deployed in center midfield in place of Claire Hutton, who started each of the USA’s first four matches but was unavailable for the quarterfinal while in concussion protocol. The other noteworthy change was in back, where Stanford’s Elise Evans returned to central defense after starting the tournament opener against Spain. She replaced Heather Gilchrist. Evans was rock solid in the back with Jordyn Bugg, as was Gilchrist when she came on in overtime.
In the end, the substitutes would have their say.
The highlight of the first half was furnished by Wy, who has played every minute of this World Cup and is one of two Americans, along with Sentnor, who was on the team at the 2022 event in Costa Rica. Wy made a save-of-the-tournament quality play in the 17th minute when she leaped to right and got her right hand to a high, blistering 20-yard strike from Germany’s Sophie Nachtigall. Wy then swatted the ensuring corner kick away for good measure.
The Americans took a few minutes to get going but were bolder and increasingly on the front foot as the match progressed, while the energetic Sentnor was everywhere in the attacking third. She took eight shots in regulation. But the go-ahead goal remained elusive.
In the 41st, Sentnor forced a save from Germany’s Rebecca Adamczyk, after which the U.S. requested a video review of a potential foul on striker Pietra Tordin during the build-up. But referee Oh Hyeonjeong somehow ruled that clear contact from Germany’s Tomke Schneider on Tordin’s ankle didn’t warrant a penalty kick. Amazingly, a clear penalty kick foul on Dahlien was also waved way by Oh near the end of the match, but the USA was out of challenges – teams get two per game if they are not successful – and couldn’t request a review.
Germany opened the scoring against the run of play in the 61st. U.S. right back Gisele Thompson lunged to reach a loose ball in the penalty area, Germany’s Loreen Bender went down and Oh blew her whistle. Following another video review, Oh awarded the penalty and winger Cora Zicai left Wy with no chance on a perfect penalty to the upper left corner. It was her third goal of the tournament.
The USA attacked with heart and fervor in search of an equalizer, but when Bender scored following a counterattack in the second minute of second-half stoppage time, the match — and the Americans’ World Cup — appeared over.
