Tim Schulz's under-20 national team produced one of the most emphatic performances by a U.S. team at the international level in recent years when it crushed defending women's youth world champion Germany, 4-1, in the quarterfinals of the 2006 U-20 WomenÆs World Championship Sunday in St. Petersburg, Russia.
Players from four California schools contributed to all four goals. UCLA midfielder Danesha Adams scored twice, her second and third goals of the tournament, while Stanford freshman Kelley OÆHara opened the scoring for the USA in the 36th minute. USC forward Amy Rodriguez got the fourth goal in the final minute of regulation. Crosses from Santa Clara's Amanda Poach set up the first two goals near the end of the first half. The Americans's long-ball game caused all kinds of problems for Germany, which was outshot 15-5.
The win avenged a 3-1 loss to Germany the semifinals of the 2004 FIFA U-19 WomenÆs World Championship in Thailand. The USA returns to Moscow to meet China in the semifinals on Thursday. The Chinese crushed host Russia, 4-0, in the quarterfinals. North Korea moved into the semifinals of a FIFA tournament for the first time with a 2-1 victory over France on Hong Myong Gum's goal off a corner kick in the 90th minute. Brazil surrendered its first goal of the tournament but hung on to beat Nigeria, 2-1, in the other quarterfinal.
USA-GERMANY GAME SUMMARY
Aug. 27 in Moscow
USA 4 Germany 1. Goals: O'Hara 36, Adams 37, 70, Rodriguez 90; Neumann 65.
USA — Henderson, Heath, Dew, Krzysik, Lopez, OÆHara (Angeli, 48), Poach, Bock (Long, 48), Adams, Cheney (DiMartino, 62), Rodriguez.
Germany — Holz, Haye (Angel, 78), Peter, Hoefler, Bajramaj, Goessling, Okoyino Da Mbabi, Kessler, Laudehr (Oster, 76), Blaess (Neumann, 33), Maier.
Referee: Jenny Palmqvist (Sweden).
Att.: 750.