Five Things About U.S. U-20 WNT vs. Brazil U-20 WNT
The U.S. U-20 Women’s National Team will conclude the 2017 Nike International Friendlies against Brazil on Monday, Dec. 11 (6:30 p.m. ET) at Premier Sports Campus in Lakewood Ranch, Fla.
The U.S. U-20 Women’s National Team will conclude the 2017 Nike International Friendlies against Brazil on Monday, Dec. 11 (6:30 p.m. ET) at Premier Sports Campus in Lakewood Ranch, Fla. Here are five things you should know about the USA’s final opponent and final match of the tournament.
How Can the USA Win the 2017 Nike Friendlies?
With the 10-1 win against Finland on Dec. 9, the USA sits in first place in the tournament with four points and a plus-9 goal difference. England is second with four points and a plus-1 goal difference. Brazil is in third with three points and a plus-3 goal difference while Finland sits in fourth place with zero points and a minus-13 goal difference.
That means the USA will win the tournament with a victory against Brazil if it maintains its edge over England in goal difference. The USA could also win the tournament with a tie, if England ties Finland.
2017 Women’s Nike International Friendlies Standings
|
Team |
GP |
W |
L |
D |
Pts. |
GF |
GA |
GD |
|
USA |
2 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
4 |
13 |
4 |
+9 |
|
England |
2 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
4 |
4 |
3 |
+1 |
|
Brazil |
2 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
3 |
4 |
1 |
+3 |
|
Finland |
2 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
14 |
-13 |
How To Watch
The tournament will conclude on Dec. 11 with two games, the first taking place at 3:30 p.m. ET with Finland facing England followed by the USA vs. Brazil at 6:30 p.m. ET. Both matches will be streamed live on ussoccer.com, U.S. Soccer’s Facebook Page and U.S. Soccer’s YouTube Page from the Premier Sports Campus in Lakewood Ranch, Fla. with Mike Pepper calling the action.
The matches are not geo-blocked, meaning fans in Brazil, England and Finland, as well as others around the world, can watch the games. Fans can follow all the matches of the U.S. U-20s on Twitter @ussoccer_ynt. For full coverage, visit the Women’s Nike International Friendlies tournament page on ussoccer.com.
Nike Friendlies Continues World Cup Qualifying Prep for USAThe U-20 U.S. WNT has used 37 players in 10 international matches this year in preparation for World Cup qualifying, taking on Norway, Germany, France, Japan, England and Finland while compiling a record of 6-3-2. Outside back Jordan Brewster earned her first U-20 WNT cap against England in the first game of the Friendlies on Dec. 7, playing all 90 minutes in an impressive first outing. Goalkeeper Claudia Dickey earned her first U-20 cap against Finland, playing all 90 minutes.
Sophia Smith of Real Colorado and Stanford freshman Civana Kuhlmann lead the team with eight international goals apiece this year after Smith scored twice against England on Dec. 7 and Kuhlmann added four on Dec. 9 against Finland, while UC Berkeley freshman Abigail Kim has three. Twenty-two of the 24 players on the roster have U-20 caps, led by Savannah DeMelo, a member of the last U-20 WNT cycle, who has 22 caps.
The age cutoff to be eligible for the 2018 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup is players born on or after January 1, 1998. For this roster, Klimkova called up nine players born in 1998, 11 born in 1999 and four born in 2000, making them also age-eligible for the 2020 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup.
U.S. U-20 WNT Roster – 2017 Nike International Friendlies (Club, Hometown)
GOALKEEPERS (3): Claudia Dickey (Charlotte Soccer Academy; Charlotte, NC), Laurel Ivory (Virginia; Surfside,Fla.), Amanda McGlynn (Virginia Tech; Jacksonville, Fla.)
DEFENDERS (9): Nicole Albrecht (Minnesota, Cedarburg, Wisc.), Julia Bingham (USC; Ontario, Calif.), Jordan Brewster (Internationals SC; North Canton, Ohio), Sydney Dawson (Internationals SC; North Canton, Ohio), Naomi Girma (California Thorns FC; San Jose, Calif.), Tara McKeown (USC; Newbury Park, Calif.), Zoe Morse (Virginia; East Lansing; Mich.), Isabel Rodriguez (Ohio State; Canton, Mich.), Karina Rodriguez (UCLA; Torrance, Calif.)
MIDFIELDERS (6): Samantha Coffey (Boston College; Sleepy Hollow, NY), Savannah DeMelo (USC; Bellflower, Calif.), Jaelin Howell (Real Colorado; Windsor, Colo.), Taylor Kornieck (Colorado; Henderson, Nev.), Brianna Pinto (NTH Tophat; Durham, NC), Viviana Villacorta (UCLA; Lawndale, Calif.)
FORWARDS (6): Jordan Harr (Texas Tech; Sachse, Texas), Abigail Kim (California; Vashon, Wash.), Civana Kuhlmann (Stanford; Littleton. Colo.), Sophia Smith (Real Colorado; Windsor, Colo.), Taryn Torres (Virginia; Frisco, Texas), Kelsey Turnbow (Santa Clara, Scottsdale, Ariz.)
Brazil U-20 WNT Prepping for South American World Cup Qualifying
Like the USA, Brazil is preparing for a World Cup qualifying tournament next January. The South American qualification tournament will take place in Ecuador from Jan. 10-28 with ten teams divided into two groups. After round-robin play, the top two teams in each group will qualify for the second round and that quartet will then play another round-robin format and that top two teams will represent South America at the World Cup in France.
Brazil are seven-times champion of the tournament (2004, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014 & 2015). No other team has won a South American U-20 women's title. Argentina (three times), Colombia, Paraguay (twice) and Venezuela have all been runners-up.
Brazil has one player currently playing college soccer in defender Reiss who is a freshman at North Florida where she led the team in scoring with six goals and one assist. The rest of the Brazilian roster is spread out over 10 different clubs in Brazil, including two at Santos F.C, the club of the legendary Pele. Brazil U-20 WNT Roster – 2017 Nike International Friendlies (Club)
GOALKEEPERS (2): 1-Kemelli (3 B Sport), 12-Stefane (Team Chicago Brasil)
DEFENDERS (7): 2-Mona (Iranduba F.C.), 3-Thais Regina (3 B Sport), 4-Ingryd (3 B Sport), 6-Reiss (North Florida, USA), 13-Tainara (E.C. Victoria BA), 14-Isa (A.A. Ponte Preta), 16-Andressa (Team Chicago Brasil)
MIDFIELDERS (6): 5-Luana (Ferroviaria F S/A), 7-Angelina (Santos F.C.), 8-Karla Alves (Santos F.C.), 10-Victoria (Minas Brasilia), 15-Juliana (Ferroviaria F S/A), 18-Ana Vitoria (Corinthians/Audax)
FORWARDS (6): 9-Valeria (Tiradentes PI), 11-Brenda Woch (3 B Sport), 17-Kerolin (A.A. Ponte Preta)
USA and Brazil Results So Far
The USA comes into the match after a 3-3 draw against England on Dec. 7 and a 10-1 win against Finland on Dec. 9 that saw Civana Kuhlmann score four goals and four other players add tallies. After a strong 4-0 win against Finland on goals by (list goal scorers) to open the tournament, Brazil fell 1-0 to England in its second game and will look to bounce back with a win against the U.S., which could be enough to take home the tournament title depending on England’s results against Finland.