The United States on Friday romped into its sixth successive Nordic Cup final, blitzing Greece, 4-0, in Turku, Finland, to earn a berth opposite Germany in Sunday's championship game.
The Americans, who are seeking to win the world's premier tournament for under-21 women for the fourth straight year and fifth time in six years, got big help from the Finns, who topped previously unbeaten Denmark, 2-1, in the other Group B game.
The United States, Denmark and Finland finished with six points, but the Americans' plus-four goal differential won out over the Danes (+3) and Finns (+1).
Germany topped Norway, 3-1, to win Group B.
''The goal after group play was to get to the final, and we've done that,'' U.S. coach Jerry Smith said. ''Like our U.S. men's national team in the World Cup, we got a little help from a team in our group, but we're looking forward to defending our Nordic Cup championship against Germany. Our focus on finishing was much sharper today than in the previous two matches, as it will need to be on Sunday, as Germany won't allow us many opportunities.''
University of North Carolina defender Cat Reddick scored in sixth minute and Santa Clara's Veronica Zepeda tallied in the 18th as the Americans dominated play from the start against Greece's full national team, which featured eight Greek-Americans.
Reddick headed home a cross from Santa Clara's Aly Wagner after a short corner kick to put the United States ahead, and Zepeda beat University of Connecticut goalkeeper Maria Giatraki from a wicked angle after receiving a pass from Stanford's Marcia Wallis.
Wallis picked up her second assist in first-half stoppage time with a long pass that North Carolina's Alyssa Ramsey lifted over an onrushing Giatraki. Penn State's Christie Welsh finished a Zepeda cross in the 60th minute for the fourth goal.
FRIDAY'S SUMMARY
July 26 at Turku, Finland
United States 4 Greece national team 0. Goals: Reddick 6, Zepeda 18, Ramsey 46+, Welsh 60.
United States — Solo; Marquand (Yokers, 46), Reddick, LePeilbet, Pryce; Hawkins, Lohman, Wagner (Barr, 72); Zepeda (McDowell, 72), Ramsey (Welsh, 46), Wallis (Crumpton, 46).
Greece — Giatraki (Papathanasiou, 46); Katsaiti, Strataki, Fostiropoulou (Mougiou Bibian-Mapina, 81), Klisa; Michailidou, Chatzigianidou, Lagoumtzi (Giannakopoulou, 46); Baruth, Lazarou (Cobbet, 40)
Yellow cards: None.
Referee: Anri Hanninen (Finland).
Att.: 150.
Other Group A score: Finland 2 Denmark 1.
Group B scores: Sweden 3 Iceland 0; Germany 3 Norway 1.
Final group standings
Group A: 1. United States 6 points (+4 differential); 2. Denmark 6 (+3); 3. Finland 6 (+1); 4. Greece 0 (-8).
Group B: 1. Germany 7 points (+6); 2. Norway 6 (+4); 3. Sweden 4 (+1); 4. Iceland 0 (-11).
Sunday's schedule
Championship: United States vs. Germany.
Third: Denmark vs. Norway.
Fifth: Finland vs. Sweden.
Seventh: Greece vs. Iceland.