USA set to begin U-20 Women’s World Cup vs. France
U.S. U-20 Women’s National Team vs. France
2016 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup
PNG Football Stadium; Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea
Nov. 14, 2016
(Via U.S. Soccer) – The U.S. Under-20 Women’s National Team kicks off the 2016 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup on Nov. 14 against France at PNG Football Stadium in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.
The game can be watched live on FS1 at 1 a.m. ET, and like all the matches of the tournament, on FOX Sports GO and FOXSoccer2Go. USA-FRA will also be broadcast in Spanish on NBC Universo (live in ET, delayed until 3 a.m. in PT). The USA will then have two days of rest before facing New Zealand in its second Group C match on Nov. 17 (4 a.m. ET on FS1 and NBC Universo), also at PNG Football Stadium. The USA will finish group play against Ghana on Nov. 21 (1 a.m. ET on FS1, live in ET on NBC Universo and delayed until 3 a.m. in PT) at Sir John Guise Stadium. The last time the USA played France in a U-20 Women’s World Cup was the opening game of 2008 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup, a 3-0 U.S. victory as Alex Morgan scored once and Sydney Leroux scored twice.
WATCH THE USA U-20 WNT ON FOX SPORTS; FOX PROVIDING FREE WEB STREAM OF 2016 FIFA U-20 WOMEN’S WORLD CUP: All three of the USA’s group games will be broadcast live on FS1 and all 32 matches of the tournament will be broadcast across the FOX platforms. The tournament opens with Spain vs. Canada on FS2 and Sweden and Korea DPR on FOX Soccer Plus. A total of 12 matches will be on FS2 and 19 on FS1. All four of the quarterfinals, both semifinals, the third-place match and the championship game will be shown on FS1. All matches are also available for live and on-demand streaming via the FOX Sports GO app, the FOX Soccer 2GO app and online at FOXSportsGO.com and on-demand at FOXSoccer2GO.com. Fans can enter a free promo code to watch the games on the FOXSoccer2Go.com
2016 U.S. U-20 FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP SCHEDULE
| Date | Opponent | Time (ET) | TV | Venue |
| Nov. 14 | France | 1 a.m. | FS1, FOX Soccer 2GO, FOX Sports GO, NBCU | PNG Football Stadium;
Port Moresby, PNG |
| Nov. 17 | New Zealand | 4 a.m. | FS1, FOX Soccer 2GO, FOX Sports GO, NBCU | PNG Football Stadium;
Port Moresby, PNG |
| Nov. 21 | Ghana | 1 a.m. | FS1, FOX Soccer 2GO, FOX Sports GO, NBCU | Sir John Guise Stadium;
Port Moresby, PNG |
Group C Schedule
Monday, Nov. 14
France vs. USA
Ghana vs. New Zealand
Thursday, Nov. 17
France vs. Ghana
New Zealand vs. USA
Monday, Nov. 21
New Zealand vs. France
USA vs. Ghana
TOURNAMENT FORMAT: The FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup – which is staged every two years – features 16 nations divided into four groups of four teams each. The top two teams in each group advance to the quarterfinal stage being held Nov. 24 and 25. The semifinals will take place Tuesday, Nov. 29, and the Final and Third-Place matches are on Saturday, Dec. 3. All the matches will be staged on grass surfaces over the four stadiums, which are all in the capital of Port Moresby. Players eligible for this age group tournament must have been born on or after Jan. 1, 1996.
16 NATIONS, ONE TROPHY: The 16 nations competing in the 2012 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup are: host Papua New Guinea and New Zealand from Oceania; Japan, Korea DPR and Korea Republic from Asia; Ghana and Nigeria from Africa; Germany, Sweden, France and Spain from Europe; the USA, Canada and Mexico from North America; Brazil and Venezuela from South America; and New Zealand from Oceania.
CONSISTENT U.S. PRESENCE: The USA has competed in all seven previous Women’s World Cups held for this age group, winning the inaugural tournament in 2002 in Canada when it was a U-19 event, finishing third in 2004 in Thailand, finishing fourth in 2006 in Russia when it moved to U-20s, winning in 2008 in Chile on the strength of goal scoring from Alex Morgan and Sydney Leroux, and finishing fifth in 2010 in Germany. The USA returned to the top of the podium in 2012, winning the tournament in Japan on a goal from Kealia Ohai in the championship game, but lost in penalty kicks in the quarterfinal to North Korea in 2014. The U-19 tournaments featured 12 teams while the last five – including this one – have 16 nations.
U-20 WWC FACTS
- With three first place finishes and 28 wins, four losses and six ties in 38 matches, the USA is second in the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup all-time ranking.
- With three titles and 29 wins in 40 matches, Germany tops the Women’s U-20 all-time ranking.
- Germany has scored the most goals – 112 in 40 matches – for an impressive average of 2.8 goals per match.
- The 2016 edition in Papua New Guinea will be the eighth FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup.
- The first two editions of the tournament in 2002 in Canada and 2004 in Thailand were held as U-19 events. The tournament then moved to U-20 in Russia in 2006.
- A total of 33 different teams have qualified for at least one of the final competitions, including the two debutants to this year’s tournament: Papua New Guinea and Venezuela.
- The confederation breakdown (2002-2016) of qualifiers: AFC (7), CAF (3), CONCACAF (4), CONMEBOL (6), OFC (2) and UEFA (11).
- The USA, Brazil, Germany and Nigeria are the only teams to have qualified for all of the tournaments at this age level held to date.
- The highest number of goals per match, 3.88, was recorded in the inaugural tournament in Canada in 2002, followed by 3.54 in Thailand in 2004 and 3.53 in Chile in 2008.
- The youngest player to have taken part in this competition is Sydney Leroux (playing for Canada in 2004), when she was just 14 years and 6 months old. She would play in two more U-20 Women’s World Cups for the United States after switching affiliations, and she is the USA’s all-time leading scorer in this tournament with 10 goals.
- Mexico’s Charlyn Corral is the competition’s youngest goal scorer. She was just 14 years and 11 months when she scored against Switzerland in August 2006.
- 21 players have taken part in three different editions, but only two managed to score in three different tournaments: Mexico’s Charlyn Corral (2006, 2008, 2010) and New Zealand’s Rosie White (2008, 2010, 2012).
- Two players scored ten goals in one tournament: Germany’s Alexandra Popp in 2010 and Canada’s Christine Sinclair in 2002.
- The attendance record for the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup was set in Germany in 2010 as 395,295 fans watched games with an average of 12,353 per match.
- Two World Cup finals have had teams from the same confederation. The USA played Canada in 2002 and Korea DPR played China PR in 2006.
- FIFA will give out several awards at the conclusion of the tournament: the FIFA Fair Play Award, Gold, Silver and Bronze Balls to the top three players and Gold, Silver and Bronze Boots to the top three scorers as well as the Golden Glove to the top goalkeeper.
- U.S. players have won several awards over the years in this tournament. In 2002, Kelly Wilson won the Silver Boot and the Bronze Ball. In 2004, Angie Woznuk won the Silver Ball and Bronze Boot. In 2006, Danesha Adams won the Bronze Ball. In 2008, Sydney Leroux won the Golden Ball and Golden Boot, Alex Morgan won the Silver Ball and Bronze Boot and Alyssa Naeher won the Golden Glove as the best goalkeeper. In 2010, Sydney Leroux won the Bronze Boot and Bianca Henninger won the Golden Glove, and in 2012, Julie Johnston won the Bronze Ball. Canada ’14 marked the first time a U.S. player did not win a tournament award. The USA also won the Fair Play Award in 2002 and 2008.
- The tournament will be played in smaller venues than in previous editions. Bava Park and PNG Football Stadium seat 5,000 fans while Sir John Guise Stadium and the National Football Stadium seat 15,000.
U.S. ROSTER BY POSITION
GOALKEEPERS (3): Rose Chandler (Penn State; Atlanta, Ga.), Brooke Heinsohn (New England FC; Norfolk, Mass.), Casey Murphy (Rutgers; Bridgewater, N.J.)
DEFENDERS (7): Madeline Elliston (Penn State; Omaha, Neb.), Emily Fox (FC Virginia; Ashburn, Va.), Sabrina Flores (Notre Dame; Livingston, N.J.), Ellie Jean (Penn State; Coventry, Conn.), Natalie Jacobs (Notre Dame; Coto de Caza, Calif.), Taylor Otto (UNC; Apex, N.C.), Kaleigh Riehl (Penn State; Fairfax Station, Va.)
MIDFIELDERS (7): Marley Canales (San Diego Surf; San Diego, Calif.), Katie Cousins (Tennessee; Forest, Va.), Savannah DeMelo (Beach FC; Bellflower, Calif.), Kelcie Hedge (Washington; Post Falls, Idaho), Emily Ogle (Penn State; Strongsville, Ohio), Courtney Petersen (Virginia; Canton, Mich.), Parker Roberts (Florida; Leawood, Kan.)
FORWARDS (4): Ashley Sanchez (So Cal Blues: Monrovia, Calif.), Mallory Pugh (Real Colorado; Highlands Ranch, Colo.), Jessie Scarpa (North Carolina; Lakeland, Fla.), Ally Watt (Texas A&M; Colorado Springs, Colo.)
LEAD UP TO THE WWC: The USA will head into the 2016 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup having compiled a record of 15-4-3 over this two-year cycle in international matches. Two of the four losses were to youth WNT power Japan.
2015 & 2016 U.S. U-20 WNT INTERNATIONAL RESULTS
Date Opponent Result USA Goals Location
2015
March 5 Norway U-20 2-0 W Pugh (2) La Manga, Spain
March 7 Netherlands U-20 2-0 W Harvey, Harr La Manga, Spain
March 9 Sweden U-20 2-0 W Watt (2) La Manga, Spain
June 2 Japan U-20 0-3 L — Carson, Calif.
June 4 Mexico U-20 1-0 W Pugh Carson, Calif.
June 6 Brazil U-20 2-1 W Racioppi, Pugh Carson, Calif.
Sept. 23 Honduras U-20 5-0 W Canales, Redei, San Pedro Sula, HON
Dec. 4 Mexico U-20 © 2-2 T Pugh, Fox San Pedro Sula, HON
Dec. 7 Panama U-20 © 6-1 W Hedge, Pugh (2), San Pedro Sula, HON
Dec. 9 Haiti U-20 © 6-0 W DeMelo, Pugh (2), San Pedro Sula, HON
Dec. 11 Honduras U-20 © 7-0 W Sanchez (2), Pugh (2), San Pedro Sula, HON
Dec. 13 Canada U-20 © 1-0 W Sanchez San Pedro Sula, HON
2016
March 2 Sweden U-23 1-1 T Harvey La Manga, Spain
March 4 England U-23 1-0 W Watt La Manga, Spain
March 6 Norway U-23 2-1 W Roberts, Watt La Manga, Spain
May 27 Japan U-20 0-5 L — Port Moresby, PNG
May 30 PNG U-10 10-0 W Hedge (2), Fox (2), Port Moresby, PNG
Sept. 14 Korea Rep. U-20 0-0 T — Carson, Calif.
Sept. 16 England U-20 0-1 L — Carson, Calif.
Sept. 18 Brazil U-20 0-2 L — Carson, Calif.
Oct. 8 Venezuela U-20 6-2 W Pugh (3), Petersen, Orlando, Fla.
Scarpa, Riehl
Oct. 10 Venezuela U-20 5-1 W Petersen, Ogle, Pugh, Orlando, Fla.
Nov. 14 France U-20* Port Moresby, PNG
Nov. 17 New Zealand U-20* Port Moresby, PNG
Nov. 21 Ghana U-20* Port Moresby, PNG
U.S. ROSTER NOTES
- Team captain Mallory Pugh, in her second U-20 WNT cycle, is the most capped player on the roster with 23 U-20 international matches and the top scorer with 17 goals, but 18 players on the roster have 10 or more U-20 caps. Pugh was the youngest player on the 2014 U-20 Women’s World Cup Team, where she started all four games, and is age-eligible to play in the 2018 tournament as well.
- Pugh currently has 17 caps and four goals for the full WNT, which includes her goal against Colombia in the 2016 Olympics that made her the youngest American soccer player to score in an Olympic Games.
- Pugh led the team with seven goals and four assists in CONCACAF U-20 qualifying, where she won the Golden Boot as top scorer and the Golden Ball as the best player.
- Thirteen players on the roster have scored international goals, including Jessie Scarpa (6), Ally Watt (5), Marley Canales (4), Ashley Sanchez (4), Kelsey Hedge (4), and Emily Fox (3).
- Of the 20 players who helped the USA win the 2015 CONCACAF U-20 Women’s Championship and qualify for the World Cup last December (a tournament that was held during the college season, making several players unavailable), French chose 13 for the World Cup roster. Those players are: Canales, Chandler, DeMelo, Flores, Fox, Hedge, Heinsohn, Jacobs, Otto, Pugh, Roberts, Sanchez and Scarpa.
- The age cut-off date for this Women’s World Cup is players born on or after Jan. 1, 1996. Eight of the 21 players selected by French were born in 1996, eight were born in 1997, four in 1998 and one in 1999. The four ’98s – DeMelo, Heinsohn, Fox and Pugh, as well as Sanchez, are age-eligible for the 2018 FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup in France.
- Sanchez, who captained the USA at the FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup in Jordan while scoring three goals, is the youngest player on the team and the only one born in 1999. Sanchez had three goals with five assists at the CONCACAF U-20 qualifying tournament and scored the game-winning goal in the championship game win against Canada.
- Fourteen different states are represented, led by California with four players and Virginia with three. New Jersey and Colorado have two each.
- Nine different colleges are represented on the roster, led by Penn State with five players. Notre Dame and North Carolina each have two players.
- The roster includes five players who helped Penn State win the NCAA Championship in 2015 in defenders Kaleigh Riehl, Madeline Elliston and Ellie Jean, midfielder Emily Ogle, and Rose Chandler, who was a back-up ‘keeper.
- Just five players on the roster have yet to start college with the rest having played at least one season so far (aside from Taylor Otto, who has started college but has yet to play a college match). The players who have yet to start college are UCLA commits Mallory Pugh and Ashley Sanchez, goalkeeper Brooke Heinsohn, who is headed to Duke, midfielder Savannah DeMelo (USC) and defender Emily Fox (UNC).
- Besides Pugh, two other players were on the 2014 U-20 Women’s World Cup roster in defender Kaleigh Riehl and goalkeeper Rose Chandler, but neither played in the tournament.
- Chandler earned the Golden Glove as the best goalkeeper during the qualifying tournament and Riehl has been a steady leader of the backline during 2016.
- Goalkeepers Casey Murphy and Brooke Heinsohn, who are both 6-foot-1, are the tallest GKs to represent the USA in a Women’s World Cup.
- Murphy has played the most games in goal for the USA this year with eight, starting seven, but Chandler has played six times this year, starting four.
- Forward Julie Doyle out of Laguna Niguel, Calif., who has spent most of her U.S. National Team training time this year with the U-18s, traveled to the World Cup with the USA as an alternate in case of an injury suffered before the tournament. Once the tournament begins, players cannot be replaced.
- Nine members of the U.S. team that won the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup also won a U-20 Women’s World Cup. They are Lori Chalupny, Ashlyn Harris and Heather O’Reilly (2002), Meghan Klingenberg, Sydney Leroux, Alex Morgan and Alyssa Naeher (2008), and Julie Johnston and Morgan Brian (2012). Current U.S. WNT players Samantha Mewis, Kealia Ohai and Crystal Dunn also won a U-20 WWC in 2012.
U.S. U-20 WNT – USA vs. France Pre-Game Quotes
U.S. goalkeeper Casey Murphy
On getting the World Cup underway:
“The countdown during the final few days has begun and it’s getting a bit harder to sleep at night. We’re just super-pumped, super focused and anxiously awaiting kickoff on the 14th.”
On facing France:
“We definitely know our first opponent is very skilled, technical and fast, but we feel that we’ve prepared ourselves well by watching a lot of film and playing top teams across this whole cycle. I like where our team is at right now. We feel very confident and united.”
U.S. midfielder Marley Canales
On getting the World Cup underway:
“It’s a very exciting time for us. We’ve all dedicated a lot of time and effort to our training, on and off the field. There’s a lot of anticipation on the team, but at the same time, I think we’re very calm and ready for the challenges that this tournament will bring. It’s going to be fun.”
U.S. midfielder Katie Cousins
On the honor of representing the USA in the World Cup:
“It’s an amazing opportunity that we’ve all earned, just to be on this team. It’s a chance to try to accomplish something great with your best friends and that’s a unique experience. We’re so honored to represent the USA in Papua New Guinea and I know everyone will do it with class and huge heart.”
BY THE NUMBERS
1.30 Goals allowed per international match by the U.S. U-20s this year
2.50 Goals scored per international match by the U.S. U-20s this year
7 Goals scored by Mallory Pugh in CONCACAF qualifying to lead the team
8 U-19/U-20 Women’s World Cups for which the USA has qualified
23 Career U-20 caps for Mallory Pugh, the most on this Women’s World Cup roster
31 Players to see action in a U.S. U-20 international match this year
25 Goals scored by the USA in 10 international matches this year
810 Minutes played in international matches this year by Kaleigh Riehl, most on the team
IN FOCUS: FRANCE
Fédération Française de Football
Head Coach: Gilles Eyquem
Best FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup Finish (sixth appearance): Third Place (2014)
USA VS. FRANCE SERIES
- The USA and France have played twice in the U-20 Women’s World Cup, but the most recent meeting was eight years ago in 2008 in Chile when the teams also opened the tournament against each other. The USA won 3-0 on a goal from Alex Morgan and two from Sydney Leroux, who would win the Silver Ball and Golden Ball, respectively. The U.S. went on to win that tournament for its second U-20 title.
- The teams also met in group play at the 2006 U-20 Women’s World Cup in Russia, this time in the third and final group match. The USA won 1-0 on a goal from Jessica Rostedt.
- USA opens against a European team for the fourth time in a U-20 Women’s World Cup and the second tournament in a row after losing to eventual champion Germany, 2-0, in the opening match in Edmonton, Canada. The USA opened against England in 2002 (5-0 W), against France in 2008 (3-0 W) and Germany in 2014 (0-2 L).
- The USA is 12-3-0 all-time against European teams in the U-20 Women’s World Cup. All three losses have come to Germany (in the semifinal in 2004, in group play in 2012 and in group play in 2010), but the USA has also beaten Germany three times in this tournament (in the semifinal in 2002, in the quarterfinal in 2006, and in the final in 2012).
FRANCE ROSTER
GOALKEEPERS (3): 1-Mylene Chavas (AS Saint-Etienne), 16-Cindy Perrault (ASPTT Albi), 21-Jade Lebastard (En Avant Guingamp)
DEFENDERS (7): 2-Marion Romanelli (Montpellier HSC), 3-Sakina Karchaoui (Montpellier HSC), 4-Hawa Cissoko (Paris Saint-Germain FC), 5-Pauline Dhaeyer (ESOF La Roche-sur-Yon), 12-Heloise Mansuy (FC Metz), 13-Thea Greboval (FCF Juvisy), 14-Estelle Cascarino (FCF Juvisy)
MIDFIELDERS (5): 6-Laura Condon (ASPTT Albi), 8-Onema Geyoro (Paris Saint-Germain FC), 15-Maelle Garbino (AS Saint-Etienne), 17-Juliane Gathrat (FC Metz), 19-Cathy Couturier (Rodez Aveyron Football)
FORWARDS (6): 7-Delphine Cascarino (Olympique Lyonnais), 9-Marie-Charlotte Leger (Montpellier HSC), 10-Clara Mateo (FCF Juvisy), 11-Louise Fleury (En Avant Guingamp), 18-Valerie Gauvin (Montpellier HSC), 20-Anna Clerac (ASJ Soyaux)
FRANCE ROSTER NOTES
- France has appeared regularly at the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup, playing in five of the seven tournaments to date. Les Bleuettes’ greatest achievement came during their last appearance at Canada 2014 where they claimed third place by defeating Korea DPR 3-2, after having suffered a 2-1 semifinal loss to Germany.
- France had taken part in the third-place match once before at Chile 2008 where it lost to Germany (5-3). France lost to the North Koreans in the semifinal that year by a 2-1 score.
- France got to the semifinal of the 2015 UEFA Women’s U-19 Championship, which served as the qualifying tournament for this World Cup, falling in the semifinal to Spain. France won all three games in the first round – beating Sweden (1-0), Denmark (1-0) and host Israel (4-0) – to top the group and earn a berth to PNG, but then lost in penalty kicks to Spain after a 1-1 draw during regulation time.
- In the semifinal against Spain, France opened the scoring through Marie-Charlotte Leger but conceded an equalizer a few minutes later, the first goal they had conceded in the competition. The match finished 1-1, but a cruel climax lay in store for the French, as Leger, her country’s top scorer at the tournament, missed from the spot during the ensuing penalty shoot-out and handed victory to the Spaniards.
- Leger also scored against Denmark and the French benefited from a fifth minute own goal against Sweden. Against Israel, Clara Mateo, Noémie Carage, Juliane Gathrat and Leger scored.
- France is also the reigning UEFA Women’s U-19 Champions, winning the 2016 tournament played in Slovakia while using 12 players that are on its current 2016 U-20 Women’s World Cup roster.
- In the championship game, France defeated Spain (to whom it had lost in the semifinal the year before), 2-1, in a match that was interrupted by a massive rainstorm. Marie-Antoinette Katoto and Grace Geyoro scored for France.
- France actually lost its first game of the 2016 U-19 Women’s Euros, falling 1-0 to Norway, but rebounded with a 6-0 win over Slovakia on a hat trick from Katoto in a span of 19 minutes, as well as single goals from Clara Mateo, Perle Morroni and Delphine Cascarino. France then beat the Netherlands 2-1 on a goal from Katoto and a penalty from Geyoro to top the group.
- In the semifinal, France defeated Switzerland 3-1 on two goals from Mateo and one from Katoto before taking down Spain in the championship game.
- Katoto, who lead the tournament with six goals, was injured before the World Cup and is not on France’s roster.
- With 11 victories from 22 matches played in this tournament, France are one of six teams that have won at least half of the U-20 Women’s World Cup matches they have contested. The only sides with a better win percentage are USA (73.6% per cent), Germany (72.5%), Korea DPR (65.3%) and Japan (52.9%), whereas Sweden are equal with Les Bleuettes on 50.0%.
- In each of their last four U-20 Women’s World Cup campaigns, France faced the eventual champions and were defeated each time: 2-1 by Korea DPR in the 2006 quarterfinals, 3-0 by USA in the group round in 2008, 4-1 by Germany at the same stage of the 2010 edition and 2-1, again by Germany, in the semifinal two years ago.
- France won the 2012 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Azerbaijan, which is France’s only FIFA women’s championship to date.
LAST TIME
On the field for the USA in an international match:
October 10, 2016 – Omni Hotel & Resort at ChampionsGate
International Friendly
USA 5 Petersen 7; Ogle 11; Pugh 56; Hedge 64; Jacobs 85
VEN 1 Canas 54
Lineups:
USA: 1-Casey Murphy (22-Rose Chandler, 46); 14-Ellie Jean, 3-Kaleigh Riehl, 25-Taylor Otto (19-Natalie Jacobs, 46), 4-Sabrina Flores (2-Maddie Elliston, 46) 8-Courtney Petersen ,16-Emily Fox (17-Kelcie Hedge, 46), 24-Parker Roberts (13-Marley Canales, 24) 9-Mallory Pugh (capt.) (7-Savannah DeMelo, 76), 10-Emily Ogle (20-Katie Cousins, 65), 15-Jessie Scarpa (11-Ally Watt, 65)
Subs Not Used:12-Brooke Heinsohn
Head Coach: Michelle French
VEN: 1- Oriana Palacio; 6- Michelle Romero (14-Yorgelis Monterroz, 82), 4-Neily Carrasquera, 2-Rafanny Mendoza, 3-Alexyar Canas, 17-Hilaris Villasana, 5-Yenifer Gimenz, 10-Lourdes Moreno, 9-Idalys Perez, 11-Gabriela Garcia, 7-Yonesidy Zambrano (15-Gerardine Olivio, 65)
Subs Not Used: 12-Rodriguez Franyeli, 16-Tonny Pereira, 19-Manuela Cano
Head Coach: Jose Catoya
