USA qualifies for 2024 Under-20 Women's World Cup
- by Paul Kennedy @pkedit, Jun 3, 2023
The U-20 women are U.S. Soccer's only age-group program that has advanced to every world championship.
Goals from 17-year-old midfielders Jasmine Aikey and Lauren Martinho gave the USA a 2-0 lead after 48 minutes, but it struggled to put away the Ticas despite a huge edge in shots (19-1 in the first half and 29-6 overall).
Costa Rica made the match close when Sheika Scott converted a penalty kick in the 55th minute to make it 2-1.
In stoppage time, the USA was reduced to 10 players when defender Gisele Thompson was sent off for a DOGSO foul. On the ensuing free kick, Mariana Solano hit the crossbar.
Next up: The USA will face Mexico, a 2-1 winner over Canada in the other semifinal, in Sunday's final. It has advanced to every Concacaf U-20 final, winning seven times. It was the runner-up to Canada twice (2004 and 2008) and Mexico once (2018).
June 2 Santo Domingo
USA 2 Costa Rica 1. Goals: Jasmine Aikey 38, Martinho 48; Scott 55 pen.
USA -- Wy; Thompson, Evans, Klenke, King; Aikey, Flammia (Lemos, 67), Martinho; Gamero (Dudley, 76), Sentnor (Dellarose, 90+5), Dahlien.
Costa Rica -- Perez; Rivera, Mena (A.Gonzalez 64), Benavides (Rodriguez, 10), Briceno, Vasquez; Matarrita (T.Fonseca, 82), Jimenez, L.Gonzalez (Aguero, 64), Diaz (Solano, 64); Scott
Yellow Card: Costa Rica -- Briceno 45+7. Red Card: USA -- Thompson 90+3.
Referee: Sandra Benefitz (El Salvador). ARs: Lidia Ayala (El Salvador), Ivett Santiago (Cuba). 4th Official: Odette Hamilton (Jamaica). VAR: Ismael Cornejo (El Salvador). AVAR1: Francia Gonzalez (Mexico).
Att.: 50.
Bad field. Bad officiating. Typical CONCACAF.
2 US goals called back for phantom offisides. Did not appear that VAR was used on those calls. Don't know what the VAR had access to, but the broadcast camera views were very limited.
One apparent conflct was that a CRC player received a yellow while a US player received a red for DOGSO leading to penalties. One was a direct kick offense and one was an indirect kick offense, but the LOTG don't distinguish DOGSO on that basis. At least as recently as 2019 preventling a goal by handling was stated to be DOGSO.
Anybody?
The ref was bad for both teams. The first US goal was pretty much a gift from the ref when she lined up the wall at least 15 meters from the spot of the free kick, giving Aikley a free shot into either side of the goal.
David, you are mistaken. It is really easy to tell the distance because of the 18 and 6 yard lines. 15 yards would have put the wall inside the goal area. The spacing was 10 yards.
Why to go USA,,, Congrats to Team and Coach.!!!
That was some True CONcacaCrApF stuff ..
Bad Field, Bad Ref, Bad VAR, Bad Opponent, though they did have a Tremendous Goalie.!!!
I wonder if She has USA "Roots" and we can Steal here from CR.
Plays at a US College.
Seriously, She Made; Incredible Save, After Incredible Save
Only mistake she Made was on the FK that USA Scored on...
She initially moved to the Left, before the Ball was Struck, to Cover a Shot OVER the Wall and Couldn't get her Momentum back to Save the FK that was on Her Side to Cover. Still almost had it.
...almost CONCACAF'ed, again
I can recall, and I could be mistaken, a tournament where OUR Ladies outscored their opponents 31-0, yet finished ....3rd!!!!!
It has become apparent to me, at least, that CONCACAF despises Americans. At every turn, there is an apparent effort to undermine American teams. The on-field officials often appear that it's ther DUTY to keep the games close.
The only way some of these opponents can stay in games, it to make the game physical, and they are allowed, usually unilaterally.
I may be a "homer", but I want the best team to prevail; handing victories to undeserving sides does NOTHING to develop the game regionally....jmho.
CONCACAF is convinced otherwise. So garbage pitch = home field advantage so no sense in upgrading DR pitches for CONCACAF minnow, though in the womens game
i'm not sure this translates as such. 6 minutes in, goal denied for non-existent offside or perceived foul against defender who wrong-footed herself? 9 minutes of first half extra time--was there a lifeflight helicopter departure we missed? CRC keeper Perez made lots of acrobatic saves but some of that might be poor footwork. Hopefully she gets an opportinity in the NCAA to keep developing?