USA advances to U-17 Women’s World Cup semifinals with 4:2 victory over Korea Republic

November 9, 2008

HAMILTON, New Zealand – Courtney Verloo scored twice and Victoria DiMartino added her fourth in as many games to give the United States a 4:2 victory over Korea Republic on Sunday and a semifinal berth at the U-17 Women’s World Cup.

The result sends the USA to a Thursday meeting in Christchurch against European champion Germany, which beat Canada 3:1 on Saturday. England outlasted Japan 5:4 on penalty kicks after a 2:2 draw in Sunday’s other game and set up a semifinal match against Korea DPR.

Verloo put the United States ahead in the 27th and then scored what proved to be the eventual winner in the 78th for a 3:1 lead. Kristie Mewis scored one goal in the 54th and set up Verloo for her second.

The USA outshot the Koreans 20:5 and allowed only three shots on goal _ two of which the Asians converted.

The United States led when Amber Brooks headed Julia Roberts’ corner kick back into the middle of the penalty area and Verloo outmuscled her defender to shoot into the roof of the net.

Mewis doubled the lead in the second half, taking a short free kick from Roberts and driving a shot from 23 yards just left of the penalty arc.

“It was a fantastic shot,” USA coach Kazbek Tambi said. “We told them that given the number shots from outside that have gotten in during in this tournament, that we had to get that into our game as well and Kristie hit a beauty. There was no better goal on the day.”

Lee Hyun-young pulled Korea back within a goal in the 65th, pouncing on a rebound after Song Ari’s looping shot arced over USA goalkeeper Taylor Vancil and off the crossbar. But the United States squelched any hopes for Korea, scoring twice in six minutes to secure the victory.

Mewis worked her way past two defenders before sending a ball to the right and into the path of Verloo in the 78th, and DiMartino took a pass from Erika Tymrak, spun and scored off the hand of Korean keeper Lee Hyo-ju for a 4:1 lead in the 84th.

Lee Hyun-young added her second of the game a minute later but the USA dominated possession the remainder of the way to extend the country’s streak of reaching the semifinals at every FIFA women’s championship.

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