U-20 Women

U-20 National Team Advances To Final

Fitness Proves Difference Over Nigerians In Semi-Final

See the goals here.  

The Nigerians did provide a tough test, twice narrowly failing to score, once on a breakaway that Bryane Heaberlin, the US GK, did just enough to distract the attacker from hitting the target, though only just.  The second near miss was a second half offside call that was finished, but called back, rightly so, but again, only just.



In the final analysis, the US was highly organized, scored off a cross where the lack of defensive organization hurt the Nigerians and again when the game was wide open as the Nigerians pushed forward to equalize, and the space became too much to defend in the midfield.  The back line for the Nigerians gifted both goals to the US- though organized teams will tend to force such gifts from less-disciplined sides.

The Nigerian attackers, however, were far and away the more creative, dynamic and technical.  Even Maya Hayes, the hugely talented Penn State attacker, is rather bland when compared to the front four of the Nigerians.  For a nation, as the match commentator pointed out, with 4,000 women playing the game around the age of 18 (the US has one-point-something million) the Nigerians showed the value of extraordinary technical mastery...and they clearly looked more confident, clever and effective with the ball at their feet.  A deeper talent pool (most African nations are not particularly supportive of the women's game) and better organization and the Nigerians are in business - and they haven't been out of the running as of late as it is!

Good lessons for supporters of US soccer, for sure.  The final is Saturday, 6.20AM on ESPN3.com, against the familiar Germans!