Future gold-medalists led USA to past championships

[REWIND] Saturday’s Under-20 Women’s World Cup title was the third for the USA. Four years ago, Sydney Leroux and Alex Morgan — winners of the Golden Ball and Silver Ball — led the USA past North Korea, 2-1. In 2002, the FIFA’s inaugural women’s youth championship was anunder-19 competition, captured by the Americans with a 1-0 win over host Canada on Lindsay Tarpley‘s golden goal.

In Chile four years ago, Lerouxscored midway through the first half from just outside the penalty area and Morgan wriggled past four defenders to nail with an incredible shot into the top corner shortly before halftime and providea 2-0 lead the Americans nursed until stoppage time when Cha Hu Nam scored to jangle the U.S. nerves slightly.

“It was obviously very difficult forus to hold onto the lead because they kept coming at us and giving us trouble possessing the ball,” said U.S. coach Tony DiCicco. “I am very, very proud of myplayers tonight.”

DiCicco became the first coach to win titles at three different levels. He coached the Americans to the 1999 Women’s World Cup title and Olympic gold at the 1996 SummerGames.

(Click here for USA-North Korea highlights.)

2008 FINAL:
Dec. 7 in Santiago
USA 2 North Korea 1. Goal: Leroux 23, Morgan 42;Cha Hu Nam 90.
USA — Naeher, Reed, Fowlkes, Marshall, Klingenberg, Nairn (Wells 81), Winters, Edwards, Washington (Enyeart, 65), Morgan, Leroux.
North Korea — Kim Un Ju, Pak, Sin, Ri Un Hyang, Kim Chun Hui, Ri Ye Gyong, Choe, Ri Jong Sim (Ri Hyon Suk, 42), Hwang, Ra Un Sim, Cha.
Referee: Alexandra Ihringova (England).
Att.: 12,000.

Tarpley’s golden goal 19 minutes into overtimedelivered the trophy to the Americans, who went unbeaten in the competition and outscored their opposition, 26-2.

The final drew 47,784 fans at Edmonton’s Commonwealth Stadium.

”It was an incredible game,” said U.S. coach Tracey Leone, who was part of the U.S. squad that captured the first Women’s World Cup title in 1991. ”Canadacame out so organized, together and tough. And, of course, the crowd was amazing. It was a great opportunity for both teams to play in front of that kind of crowd.”

The game featuredseveral players who would face off again 10 years later in the epic Olympic women’s soccer semifinal.

Rachel Buehler and Heather O’Reilly started for the USA in Edmonton, while Canada featured Christine Sinclair, who swept both the Golden Ball and Golden Shoe (10goals), as well as Carmelina Moscato and Erin McLeod.

2002 FINAL:
Sept. 1 in Edmonton
Canada 0 USA 1 (OT). Goal: Tarpley 109.
USA —Harris; Fletcher, Dowling, Oakes, Buehler (Ballweg, 13); Makoski (Woznuk, 59; Kakadelas, 105), Osborne, Chalupny; O’Reilly, Tarpley, Wilson.
Canada– McLeod; Andrews, Rustad, Booth; Vermeulen, Chapman, Lang (Gayle, 74), Timko, Moscato; Thorlakson, Sinclair.
Referee: Dianne Ferreira-James(Guyana).
Att.: 47,784.