CALI, Colombia (Sept. 4, 2024) – The U.S. Under-20 Women’s Youth National Team is back on track at the 2024 FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup thanks in large part to a brilliant goal engineered and finished by midfielder Yuna McCormack that helped push the USA to a 2-0 victory against Morocco.
The Americans dominated proceedings, outshooting the Atlas Lionesses, 32-4, while putting them under sustained and relentless pressure with a pacy and rhythmic attack that created the kind of chances which should have led to a higher scoreline.
But U-20 World Cup debutant Morocco defended with resolve and goalkeeper Fatima El Jebraqui was excellent all night as the North Africans limited the U.S. to McCormack’s strike through 90 minutes of regulation. It was McCormack’s first international goal in just her fourth U-20 appearance. Substitute forward Maddie Dahlien tallied the USA’s second deep into stoppage time when she pounced on a mistake in the back.
The three points secured at the Estadio Pascual Guerrero in Cali, Colombia, lifted the Americans (1W-1L-0D, 3 points) into a second-place tie on points with Paraguay (1W-1L-0D, 3 points) in Group C. They’ll face each other in the group-stage finale on Saturday in Bogotá. Reigning U-20 world champion Spain (2W-0L-0D, 6 points), which opened the tournament with a 1-0 win against the USA on Sept. 1, defeated Paraguay, 2-0, in the other Group C match tonight and will play Morocco (0W-2L-0D, 0 points) simultaneously on Saturday.
Dahlien’s goal wasn’t just cosmetic, it could prove to be critical. The goal put the U.S. ahead of Paraguay on goal difference (+1 to 0), which is the first standings tiebreaker. The top two finishers in each of the six, four-team groups will advance to the new, single-elimination Round of 16, along with the four best third-place sides. The Americans are in good shape, with a win or a tie in the Group C finale ensuring them advancement to the first-ever Round of 16 at this tournament, which was expanded to 24 teams for the first time this year.
Against Morocco, U.S. coach Tracey Kevins made three changes to the lineup that gave Spain a late scare three days earlier. Florida State's Heather Gilchrist replaced Elise Evans in central defense, and there were two new attackers as Virginia’s McCormack replaced Taylor Suarez while Princeton’s Pietra Tordin relieved striker Jordynn Dudley.
Against Spain, the USA started slow but finished strong in both halves. Against Morocco, the Americans seized control early thanks to a suffocating press that helped produce a point-blank chance for Tordin in the second minute, followed by three corner kicks and a couple more promising looks in the first 10 . Midfielder Riley Jackson hit the top of the left post in the 11th. The opening goal seemed like a matter of time.
The USA would be forced to wait, however. A few missed connections in the attack, some timely Moroccan tackling and a brave display from 17-year-old goalkeeper El Jebraoui were enough to keep the match scoreless at halftime.
The U.S. took 15 shots -- 13 from inside the penalty area -- and earned seven corners during a first half played almost entirely in Morocco’s defensive third. U.S. captain Ally Sentnor, the Utah Royals’ star rookie, hit the right post in the 37th minute. Then shortly before the break, referee María Victoria Daza bizarrely denied what looked to be an obvious U.S. penalty appeal after reviewing a tug on Gilchrist’s jersey from Morocco’s Hajar Said during a corner kick that hauled the U.S. defender to the turf. FIFA is trialing a new video review protocol that is initiated by a coach’s challenge.
The intermission turned out to be just what the Americans needed, and they finally took a deserved lead less than three minutes into the second half. McCormack, the UVA sophomore, made it happen, finding right back Gisele Thompson alone on the flank and then racing into the penalty area to receive the return pass. A screened El Jebraoui had no chance on McCormack’s perfectly placed shot from about 10 yards out, which slipped through two defenders and rolled inside the left post.
Sentnor forced two brilliant saves from El Jebraoui in the 52nd, signaling that the USA didn’t intend to fall back after going in front. Although the pressure continued, the Atlas Lionesses continued to bend without breaking, blocking shot after shot inside the goal mouth. El Jebraoui finished with six saves, although she was just as impactful coming off her line, closing down space, denying several one-on-one chances and snatching away American crosses and through balls. The USA would pile up 14 corner kicks to Morocco’s zero by game’s end.
In the sixth minute of second half stoppage time, as the game became stretched and Morocco looked for long-range counters, Dahlien, a junior at North Carolina, put an exclamation point on proceedings with an alert steal and finish. She’d come on the field only five minutes earlier and had the energy to pick the pocket of Morocco’s Siham Bouhouch before finding a sliver of space between El Jebraoui and the near post to score her first World Cup goal.
The USA’s third and final Group C contest is on Saturday against Paraguay at the Estadio Techo in the Colombian capital of Bogotá (7 p.m. ET, FS2 and Universo). Competing at the U-20 Women’s World Cup for the third time, La Albirroja were runner-up at the South American U-20 championship this spring.
USA - Yuna McCormack (Gisele Thompson), 48th minute: McCormack started and finished the play that led to the U.S. breakthrough. She found Thompson alone on the right flank with a smart ball from the middle, then ran into the penalty area to receive the return pass. McCormack took a couple touches then slipped a shot past two Moroccan defenders and inside the left post. USA 1, MAR 0
USA - Maddie Dahlien, 90th minute + 6: In the game’s final seconds, Morocco relaxed on a throw-in deep in its own half and Dahlien, who’d entered just a few minutes earlier, took advantage. She stole the ball from Siham Bouhouch, dribbled toward goal and side-footed a low shot between the goalie and the right post. USA 2, MAR 0 FINAL
Match: United States Under-20 Women’s Youth National Team vs. Morocco
Date: Sept. 4, 2024
Competition: 2024 FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup – Group C
Venue: Estadio Pascual Guerrero; Cali, Colombia
Attendance: 1,882
Kickoff: 8 p.m. local (9 p.m. ET)
Weather: 75 degrees, breezy
| Scoring Summary | 1 | 2 | F |
| USA | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| MAR | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| USA – Yuna McCormack (Gisele Thompson) | 48th minute |
| USA – Maddie Dahlien | 90+6 |
Lineups:
USA: 1-Teagan Wy; 2-Gisele Thompson (13-Leah Klenke, 62), 4-Jordyn Bugg, 15-Heather Gilchrist, 3-Savy King; 6-Claire Hutton (10-Ally Lemos, 62), 16-Riley Jackson, 18-Yuna McCormack; 9-Ally Sentnor (Capt.), 19-Pietra Tordin (7-Giana Riley, 78), 11-Emeri Adames (14-Taylor Suarez, 78)
Substitutes not used: 5-Elise Evans, 8-Jordynn Dudley, 12-Mackenzie Gress, 17-Maddie Dahlien, 20-Addison Halpern, 21-Caroline Birkel
Head coach: Tracey Kevins
MAR: 12-Fatima El Jebraqui; 2-Naini Fatima-Zahraa, 4-Ikram Neddar (13-Siham Bouhouch,58), 5-Fatima El Ghazouani (Capt.), 3-Djennah Cherif; 6-Dania Boussatta (17-Kawtar Ait Omar, 80), 21-Said Hajar, 18-Romaissa Boukakar (10-Dounia Ftouh, 69), 8-Samya Masnaqui, 20-Hajar Jbilou (11-Sofia Boussate, 46); 19-Kautar Azraf (9-Yasmine Zouhir, 69)
Substitutes not used: 1-Ines Souifi, 7-Doha El Madani, 14-Maissen Bourhrine, 15-Lina Aich, 16-Anissa Rouinba
Head coach: Jorge Vilda
Stats Summary: USA / MAR
Shots: 32 / 4
Shots on Goal: 9 / 2
Saves: 2 / 6
Corner Kicks: 14 / 0
Fouls: 4 / 6
Offside: 1 / 1
Misconduct Summary:
MAR – Bench (Caution)53rd minute
Officials:
Referee: María Victoria Daza (COL)
AR1: Mayra Sánchez (COL)
AR2: Eliana Ortiz (COL)
4th: Casey Reibelt (AUS)