Ghana U20 WNT – Women's Soccer Express

U-20 WWC 2024: Match Day 3C – Highlights and Group Standings

On Sunday, September 8th, the group matches of the 2024 FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup wrapped up. Only one spot in the Round of Sixteen was in contention as four teams, Japan, Austria, Korea DPR, and the Netherlands, were already assured of advancement into the knockout phase.

The final spot was claimed by Argentina via their 1-nil victory over Costa Rica. With the win, Argentina qualified as the fourth-best third-place team.

This was a disappointing tournament for Costa Rica after a strong performance at last year’s Concacaf Under-20 Women’s Championship where they lost to the USA in the semifinals by only 1 goal and took Canada to extra-time in the third-place match.

After two rest days, the Round of Sixteen will get underway on Wednesday, September 11th, and conclude on Thursday, September 12th.

Here are the match highlights and goals summaries for the day’s four matches, plus the standings for Group E and Group F, along with the final standings for all of third-place teams.

U-20 WWC 2024: Final Group Match Day Advancement Scenarios

The third match day of the group stage at the 2024 FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup in Colombia gets underway on Friday, September 6th.

With the expansion to 24 teams and the addition of a Round of Sixteen, four of the third-place teams from the groups will also advance to the knockout stage, instead of just the top two teams from each group.

This post summarizes what teams have already qualified for the Round of Sixteen, which teams can advance automatically advance as one of the top two teams, and where teams could finish depending on the results of the final set of group matches.

U-20 WWC 2024: Match Day 2C – Highlights and Group Standings

With two-thirds of the group stage matches at the 2024 FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup now completed, three more teams secured spots in the Round of Sixteen: Korea DPR, Japan, and Austria.

Argentina spoiled the Netherlands hopes of automatic advanced by overcoming a two-goal deficit to earn a draw.

Two NWSL players netted goals in the day’s matches:

The North Carolina Courage’s Manaka Matsukubo scored the eventual game-winner in Japan’s 4:1 victory over Ghana.
Meanwhile, Racing Louisville’s Milly Clegg had a late consolation goal for New Zealand.

Here are the match highlights and goals summaries for the day’s four matches, plus the standings for Group E and Group F, along with some brief discussion of advancement scenarios.

U-20 WWC 2024: Match Day 1C – Highlights and Group Standings

On Monday, September 2nd, the final eight teams of the 2024 FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup, including Concacaf side Costa Rica, played their first matches of the tournament.

Here are the match highlights and goals summaries for the day’s four matches, plus the standings for Group E and Group F.

U-20 WWC: Match Day 6 – USA Loses But Still Advances, Canada Eliminated

On the final day of group play at the 2012 Under-20 Women’s World Cup, the marquee match-up, between the United States and Germany, was anything but a thriller, as the USA’s defensive lapses and lack of attacking prowess was punished by the Germans in a 0:3 loss. In the other Group D match, China only managed a 1:0 win over Ghana, so even though the United States and China were tied on points, the USA advanced to the quarterfinals via a better goal differential.

In Group C, Norway defeated Argentina 4:1 while Canada lost 1:2 to North Korea. Norway, on a goalkeeping error, let in an 82nd minute Argentine goal to make the score 2:1, but a goal by Andrine Hegerberg three minutes later restored the Norwegian’s two goal advantage.

On Friday, August 31st, Germany will face Norway in the earlier quarterfinal (3:00 a.m. EDT), while the United States will play North Korea in the later one (6:30 a.m. EDT). Both matches will be televised live on ESPNU. Continue reading “U-20 WWC: Match Day 6 – USA Loses But Still Advances, Canada Eliminated”

U-20 WWC: Match Day 4 – USA Only Gets a Draw, Germany Ekes Out a Win, Canada Falls to Norway

On the fourth day of group play at the 2012 Under-20 Women’s World Cup, two of the favorites, the United States and Germany each struggled against teams easily dispatched by the other squad in the opening matches of Group D. The USA, in a lackluster performance, could only manage a 1:1 draw with China, while Germany needed a stoppage time goal from late sub Lina Magull to pull out a 1:0 win over Ghana. In Group C action, Norway edged out Canada 2:1, while North Korea pummeled Argentina 9:0. Continue reading “U-20 WWC: Match Day 4 – USA Only Gets a Draw, Germany Ekes Out a Win, Canada Falls to Norway”

U-20 WWC: Match Day 2 – USA and Germany Tied Atop Group D, Canada With An Easy Win

Action continued in the 2012 Under-20 Women’s World Cup on Monday, with favorites United States and Germany both posting 4:0 wins, while Canada cruised and then coasted over Argentina and North Korea defeated Norway. With the USA’s and Germany’s equivalent wins, the two teams are even in the Group D table. Continue reading “U-20 WWC: Match Day 2 – USA and Germany Tied Atop Group D, Canada With An Easy Win”

U-20 WWC: Quick Thoughts on the USA’s 4:0 Win Over Ghana

The United States Under-20 Women’s National Team got off to a good start on Monday, with a 4:0 defeat of Ghana in the team’s opening match of group play, via an own goal on a corner kick and a Maya Hayes hat trick. The 3 points and +4 goal differential provides a solid foundation as the team looks to advance out of a tough Group D that also includes tournament favorite Germany. Continue reading “U-20 WWC: Quick Thoughts on the USA’s 4:0 Win Over Ghana”

Under-20 Women’s World Cup: Group D – Preview Notes (USA, Ghana, China, Germany)

The United States and Germany both got a challenging draw in this year’s Under-20 Women’s World Cup, as the two favorites find themselves in the same group for the first time in any FIFA women’s tournament. The USA finds itself opening this tournament against Ghana for the second time in a row. Ghana got a surprising 1:1 draw with the USA last time around. The final Group D opponent is China, whom the USA played twice earlier this year, winning both friendlies.

Continue reading “Under-20 Women’s World Cup: Group D – Preview Notes (USA, Ghana, China, Germany)”

Under-20 Women’s World Cup: Official Rosters Released, Notes on the USA’s Opponents

On Friday, FIFA released the rosters for all sixteen teams competing in the Under-20 Women’s World Cup. That list is available in PDF format, while individual team rosters can also be viewed on FIFA.com’s micro-site for the tournament.

Only one of the United States’ group opponents, Germany, had already announced their roster in late July (and subsequently made two changes due to injury). With the official release of rosters, the squads for Ghana, whom the USA open against, and China, the USA’s middle group opponent, are now available. The rest of this post is mostly statistical notes about the USA’s and its opponent rosters. Continue reading “Under-20 Women’s World Cup: Official Rosters Released, Notes on the USA’s Opponents”