[UNDER-20 WOMEN’S WORLD CUP] U.S. star Syndey Leroux scored in the 70th minute to give the defending champion USA a 1-1tie with Ghana in their opening match at the Under-20 Women’s World Cup in Dresden, Germany.
Leroux scored from close range into an open net after Teresa Noyola stripped a Ghana player in midfield and sent Maya Hayes through with a breakaway. Hayes raced at goalie Patricia Mantey and then slipped a pass square to Leroux, who scored her sixth goal in her U-20 Women’s World Cup career after scoring five — a tournament-high — in 2008.
Ghana had scored in the 7th minute when Elizabeth Cudjoe cracked an unstoppable shot from at least 30 yards after the USA turned the ball over inmidfield.
Both teams has their chances in a wide-open game that featured 40 shots.
July 14 in Dresden
USA 1 Ghana 1.
Ghana – Cudjoe 7th minute
USA – Leroux(Hayes) 70
USA — Henninger, Quon, Pressley, Dunn, Johnson, Brooks, Nairn (Noyola, 54), Bywaters (Verloo, 77), K.Mewis, DiMartino (Hayes, 46), Leroux.
Ghana — Mantey, Egyir, Ampem, Kobblah, Atovor, Cudjoe (Suleman, 67), Afriyie, Myles (Addo, 35), Achempong, Dadson, Ibrahim (Osei-Agyemang, 83).
Att.: 9,430.
It looked to me that Leroux’s goal was flagrantly offside. Not as bad as Carlos Tevez’, but in that league. However, neither SA’s nor the Ghana FA’s report of the game comment on this.The ESPNU coverage showed a replay long after the fact and at least raised the question, but concluded that it was unclear. To my eyes it wasn’t unclear at all! Am I missing something or was Ghana robbed?
It looked to me that Leroux’s goal was flagrantly offside. Not as bad as Carlos Tevez’, but in that league. However, neither SA’s nor the Ghana FA’s report of the game comment on this.The ESPNU coverage showed a replay long after the fact and at least raised the question, but concluded that it was unclear. To my eyes it wasn’t unclear at all! Am I missing something or was Ghana robbed?
1. Leroux looked level with Hayes and behind the ball when it was played to her. 2. More significantly, it was cool to finally see a female team from Africa that CAN PLAY. The over-confident Americans made it look easy than they should have with their carelessness on attack and their chronic tendency to jump in on defense instead of playing patiently, but this is not to detract from the skills of the young Ghanaian women.
1. Leroux looked level with Hayes and behind the ball when it was played to her. 2. More significantly, it was cool to finally see a female team from Africa that CAN PLAY. The over-confident Americans made it look easy than they should have with their carelessness on attack and their chronic tendency to jump in on defense instead of playing patiently, but this is not to detract from the skills of the young Ghanaian women.
Early goal against, late goal to tie, sounds familiar, doesn’t it.
Early goal against, late goal to tie, sounds familiar, doesn’t it.
I agree with James and would go even further about this US U-20 team, they looked sloppy and the defenders kept diving in during 1 on 1 situations rather than playing ‘contain’ defense although sometimes the expected midfielder help never came. Not sure if the UCLA coach has had enough opportunity to work with these girls.
I agree with James and would go even further about this US U-20 team, they looked sloppy and the defenders kept diving in during 1 on 1 situations rather than playing ‘contain’ defense although sometimes the expected midfielder help never came. Not sure if the UCLA coach has had enough opportunity to work with these girls.