Carolina connection powers Americans to world title

• by Paul Kennedy  @pkedit, Sep 8, 2012

[USA-GERMANY] The USA won its third Under-20 Women's World Cup title with a 1-0 victory over defending champion Germany Saturday in Tokyo. A trio of North Carolina players played key roles. Right back Crystal Dunn fed Kealia Ohai for the game's lone goal in the 44th minute, and goalie Bryane Heaberlin held off the Germans with several outstanding saves.

(Click here for game highlights.)

The enterprising Dunn broke in from the right wing and found Ohai open in front to put the Americans ahead.

The win was revenge for a 3-0 defeat to Germany in the group stage and ended the Germans' string of 11 straight wins in the U-20 Women's World Cup.

The Germans, who had also come into the game with two under-20 world championships, finished with a 17-9 edge in shots and 12-6 advantage in corner kicks.

Heaberlin made five saves as the Germans piled on the pressure in the last quarter of an hour.

She pushed Leonie Maier's shot off the crossbar in the 75th minute, then made a lunging save on Lina Magull's shot in the 89th minute and stopped Maier again in stoppage time.

Sept. 8 in Tokyo
USA 1 Germany 0. Goal: Ohai 44.
USA -- Heaberlin; Dunn, Johnston, Roccaro, Pathman; Killion (Laddish, 89), DiBernardo, Brian; Ohai, Stengel (Ubogagu, 60), Hayes (Mewis, 68)
Germany -- Benkarth; Maier, Cramer, Wensing, Hendrich (Magull, 66); Jaeger, Leupolz (Chojnowski, 78); Hegenauer (Simon, 59), Petzelberger, Lotzen; Marozsan.
Referee: Pernilla Larsson (Sweden).
Att.: 31,114.