USA resurrects quarterfinal chances with 3:1 victory over Paraguay at Women’s U-17 World Cup

November 2, 2008

HAMILTON, New Zealand – Vicky DiMartinio and Courtney Verloo both scored in the final 13 minutes to lead the United States to 3:1 victory over Paraguay on Sunday and resurrect its chances of reaching the quarterfinals at the U-17 Women’s World Cup.

The USA, which lost its opener to Japan 3:2, had to rally from a first-half deficit, benefitting from an own-goal, and DiMartino’s goal in the 77th and another by Verloo in the 83rd.

The victory left the USA in second place in Group C with three points, ahead of Paraguay on goal difference and three points behind Japan, which qualified for the quarterfinals Sunday with a 7:1 win over France.

Despite USA coach Kazbek Tambi making seven changes to his team from the side that lost to Japan, the Stars & Stripes fell behind in the 32nd minute when Gloria Villamayor worked her way to the byline before sending a ball back into the path of Rebecca Fernandez for the first goal.

The USA equalized on a pair of mistakes by Paraguay less than three minutes into the second half. Goalkeeper Zulma Orue slid but failed to get to Elizabeth Eddy’s cross, and then Cris Mabuel Flores tried to settle it on her thigh but knocked it into her own net.

Tambi inserted regular strikers DiMartino and Verloo to start the second half, and both delivered. DiMartino beat Paraguay’s offside trap and beat Orue for her second goal in two games and Verloo added the other insurance goal from 25 yards.

“I guess relieved is the right word,” Tambi said. “We had a good gameplan today and were aiming to score a few goals, but unfortunately it took us a while to put away our chances.”

The USA can guarantee itself a place in the quarterfinals with a draw with France on Tuesday. In other games Sunday, England all but mathematically assured itself of a place in the final eight with a 1:0 victory over Nigeria, and Korea defeated Brazil 2:1.

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