Verloo, DiMartino send USA to U-17 Women’s World Cup final with 2:1 victory over Germany

November 13, 2008

CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand – Victoria DiMartino scored in her fifth straight game and Courtney Verloo added the winner with nine minutes remaining to rally the United States to a 2:1 victory over Germany Thursday, earning it a place in the final of the inaugural U-17 Women’s World Cup.

Verloo’s fourth goal of the tournament sent the USA to a Sunday title meeting in Auckland against Korea DPR, which beat England 2:1 in the other semifinal on Thursday.

The United States had to overcome a sixth-minute goal by Germany’s Alexandra Popp, who headed in Dzsenifer Marozsan’s corner for her second tally in three games.

The USA, however, had the better of possession the rest of the first half and twice strike the crossbar, first by Kristie Mewis with a left-footed shot and then by her older sister Samantha with header.

With the United States outshooting the European champion by a better than 3:2 margin, it equalized in the 63rd. Erika Tymrak, who had entered the game two minutes earlier, sent a cross that German goalkeeper Anna Sarholz could only swat at, enabling DiMartino to score her fifth goal and get within one of tournament leader Marozsan.

Verloo won the game by converting a loose ball in the penalty area after Amber Brooks hit the bar and Julia Roberts was unable to convert the rebound.

“We’ve played a great brand of soccer out there,” USA coach Kazbek Tambi said. “The way they came from behind was the ultimate demonstration of their character and their work rate was incredible too. I have players in there cramping up because they’ve left everything out on the field there, and that was exactly what we asked of them.”

Germany will play for third place against England prior to the championship match.

“We started very well and could have scored a second goal,” Germany coach Ralf Peter said. “But after 15 minutes, we stopped playing. Against a team like USA, you can’t win if you don’t play at your best level during the whole match. They were just better and deserved their victory.”

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