[UNDER-20 WOMEN'S WORLD CUP] Three days after the end of the World Cup, the USA is back in action in a FIFA competition against Ghana. This time it's in the Under-20 Women’s World Cup, where the USA begins its defense of the title on Wednesday at Rudolf-Harbig Stadium in Dresden, Germany (TV: ESPNU, live, noon ET).

UCLA star Sydney Leroux, who won the Golden Ball as MVP and Golden Shoe as the leading scorer at the 2008 U-20 tournament in Chile, leads the American team, coached by her Bruin boss Jillian Ellis.

Midfielder Christine Nairn of Penn State is another holdover from the 2008 championship team.

The USA will face Switzerland in its second group match on Sunday, also in Dresden, and that game will be also broadcast live on ESPNU at noon ET.

The Americans finish group play on July 21 in Bielefeld against South Korea in a match that will be broadcast live at noon ET on ESPN2.

U.S. U-20 Roster:
GOALKEEPERS (3): 18-Adrianna Franch (Oklahoma State; Salina, Kan.), 21-Bryane Heaberlin (Clearwater Chargers; St. Petersburg, Fla.), 1-Bianca Henninger (Santa Clara; Los Gatos, Calif.)
DEFENDERS (6): 4-Crystal Dunn (North Carolina; Rockville Centre, N.Y.), 5-Kendall Johnson (Portland; Portland, Ore.), 14-Meg Morris (North Carolina; Montclair, N.J.), 13-Mollie Pathman (Duke; Durham, N.C.), 2-Toni Pressley (Florida State; Melbourne, Fla.), 3-Rachel Quon (Stanford; Lake Forrest, Ill.)
MIDFIELDERS (8): 20-Amber Brooks (North Carolina; New Hope, Pa.), 12-Zakiya Bywaters (UCLA; Las Vegas, Nev.), 9-Kristie Mewis (Boston College; Hanson, Mass.), 8-Samantha Mewis (Scorpions SC; Hanson, Mass.), 11-Christine Nairn (Penn State; Bowie, Md.), 10-Teresa Noyola (Stanford; Palo Alto, Calif.), 15-Jenna Richmond (UCLA; Centreville, Va.), 17-Casey Short (Florida State; Naperville, Ill.)
FORWARDS (4): 6-Vicki DiMartino (Boston College; Massapequa, N.Y.), 16-Maya Hayes (Penn State; West Orange, N.J.), 19-Sydney Leroux (UCLA; Phoenix, Ariz.), 7-Courtney Verloo (Stanford; Tualatin, Ore.)