Photo Copyright Alejandra Arango for SPP
The United States’ run to the 2024 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup title ended Wednesday night in the semifinals with a 1-0 loss to Korea DPR. However, the Americans will face the Netherlands in the third-place match at 5 p.m. ET on Sept. 21 at Estadio El Campín in Bogotá, Colombia, for a bronze medal. Korea will face Japan in the championship.
This was the U.S. U-20 Women’s Youth National Team’s first semifinal appearance since 2016, when the squad also lost to Korea DPR. It was the seventh U.S. trip to the semifinals. This time around, North Korea has been dominant, outsourcing opponents 24-4 in six matches.
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The U.S. reached the semifinal after two dramatic overtime victories including a penalty kick shootout in the knockout stage. Trailing 2-0 against Germany in the quarterfinals, the USWYNT scored twice in stoppage time to force overtime, then won 3-1 in PKs. Jordynn Dudley scored in the 98th and captain Ally Sentnor found the back of the net a minute later. She, Riley Jackson and Leah Klenke converted penalty kicks while goalkeeper Teagan Wy secured the victory by blocking Germany’s fourth attempt.
The United States defeated Spain 1-0, topped Morroco 2-0, routed Paraguay 7-0 with a hat trick from Princeton forward Pierta Tordin, and bested Mexico 3-2 on their way to the quarterfinals. Tordin is leading the U.S. with four goals and Sentnor has three.
This will be the fourth appearance in the third-place match for the U.S., which has one bronze medal from 2004.
The USWYNT set a record this season with eight professional soccer players on the roster. All of them, led by Sentor, are in their rookie seasons with the National Women’s Soccer League. Other players include Kansas City’s Claire Hutton, Angel City’s Gisele Thompson and Savy King, Orlando’s Ally Lemos, North Carolina’s Riley Jackson and Seattle’s Emeri Adames and Jordan Bugg.
