U20 Women’s World Cup: USA finish third-place, defeats Netherlands

USA finished the tournament in third place as they won Netherlands 2-1, to claim the bronze medal.

First half goal from Ally Sentnor  and a Nayomi Buikema own goal in the 120 minute, gave the Americans the victory. Robine Lacroix equaliser had the third-place match heading for penalties before the late own goal won it for USA.

US struck first in the 10th minute, Gisele Thompson laying the ball off for Ally Sentnor to open the scoring.

The Dutch levelled in the 26th minute, when Lacroix fired past Teagan Wy after receiving a pass from Fleur Stoit.

Both teams fought for a winner but were denied by excellent goalkeeping and the goalpost. The Dutch were almost lucky late in the second-half, as Eva Oude Elberink, smacked a ball off the post.

USA also had a close chance to seal the victory in second half of the extra time. However, a fine safe from Femke Liefting  denied substitute Maddie Dahlien, before rattled the bar minutes later.

However, the young USWNT broke the hearts of the Oranje in the last minute of extra time. Dahlien effort from a tight angle was diverted into the net by Buikema to seal the win for America.

The victory makes it USA second third-place finish at the U-20 Women’s World Cup. Netherlands are however finishing fourth for the second straight edition.

The US head coach, Tracey Kevins, who is managing her last game as a manager, tagged the victory as a moment of immense pride.

The American players also expressed their joy as several proposed where they will have their medals kept.

There was no turf slicing memento from the players, but also some divergence on ideas as to exactly where their medals will hang, with Maddie Dahlien nominating a place on a mirror in her bedroom; “so that I can always see it”.

“It’ll go on the wall back home in Seattle. I have a few there now but this is the biggest one for sure. I have a couple of pins there where I hang them. Before the tournament, I had one mentally prepared for where this is going to go!”, Jordyn Bugg said.

Left-back, Savy King suggested she might even sleep with it. “I have to keep the medal safe because this is a treasure right here, keeping it safe always and taking good care of it. I might even have to sleep with it on me!”, she said.

After several years at U-20 level, the third-place finish in Colombia is the nation’s best result in more than a decade. King told FIFA that she feels this is an important result for women’s football in her homeland.

“I hope we have inspired others and given younger players belief that we’re back, the US is back. We got a medal today, we made a lot of history at the tournament and just as a team, I really hope it inspired a lot of young players back home. It’s awesome to be able to lead the way again and put the US back on the world stage with a medal so I’m super proud of this team”, she said.

Coach Tracey Kevins was ecstatic with the potential of her girls, calling them young generation of stars. She was delighted at their exploits and the clear chances they have at been selected to the senior team.

“There’s players here that have done an incredible job to put themselves now in a position to have an opportunity to progress. Of course, it’s great doing it at international level but it’s also about the consistency of doing it at club level but they’ve put themselves in a fantastic position.”

“Whichever players Emma Hayes picks, she’s going to get a fantastic bunch of people and players who are going to wear this crest and represent it in the right way”, she added.

The Dutch ladies were however positive, following their narrow loss and fourth place finish in Columbia.

“The tournament had a lot of ups and downs, and we really showed that we are a team. I’m very proud of that. Right now I can’t really reflect on the whole tournament. I’m still a bit sad because we got so close to third place”, Liefting told FIFA.

“I feel sad right now, but I also know what we accomplished,” said teammate Robine Lacroix, who scored the equaliser. “Fourth place isn’t nothing. We reached the semi-finals, so after all, I feel proud of the team.”

It’s good on my resume. The World Cup is not nothing. It can help me to go to a good club”, Lacroix admitted.

Forward Bo van Egmond gave her thoughts. “I think it was a great tournament, we achieved a lot and I’m proud of the team.

It’s a great way to the future. I learned a lot of things and it’s great to come back to the Netherlands with this experience in the bag”, van Egmond reflected.