4. RUSSIA '06: USA crushes Germany, 4-1

• by Soccer America , Aug 28, 2006

Tim Schulz's U-20s produced one of the most emphatic performances by a U.S. women's team at the international level in recent years when they crushed defending women's youth world champion Germany, 4-1, in the quarterfinals of the 2006 U-20 Women's World Championship Sunday in St. Petersburg, Russia.

Players from four California schools contributed to all four goals. UCLA midfielder Danesha Adams scored twice, her second and third goals of the tournament, while Stanford freshman Kelley O'Hara opened the scoring for the USA in the 36th minute. USC forward Amy Rodriguez got the fourth goal in the final minute of regulation. Crosses from Santa Clara's Amanda Poach set up the first two goals near the end of the first half. The Americans's long-ball game caused all kinds of problems for Germany, which was outshot 15-5.

The win avenged a 3-1 loss to Germany the semifinals of the 2004 FIFA U-19 Women's World Championship in Thailand. The USA returns to Moscow to meet China in the semifinals on Thursday. The Chinese crushed host Russia, 4-0, in the quarterfinals. North Korea moved into the semifinals of a FIFA tournament for the first time with a 2-1 victory over France on Hong Myong Gum's goal off a corner kick in the 90th minute. Brazil surrendered its first goal of the tournament but hung on to beat Nigeria, 2-1, in the other quarterfinal.

USA-GERMANY GAME SUMMARY

USA-CHINA WOMEN'S FRIENDLY:
The USA (10-0-3 in 2005) defeated China, 4-1, Sunday in the first women's international at Toyota Park in Bridgeview, Ill. Kristine Lilly led the USA with two goals, giving her 112 in 310 international appearances. Cat Whitehill and Aly Wagner also scored for the USA, which came back from a one-goal deficit. "We worked them very hard and put them under a lot of pressure," said head coach Greg Ryan. Briana Scurry made her first appearance in the U.S. goal since 2004.