Dec. 5, 2008
COQUIMBO, Chile (UCFAthletics.com) - With UCF women's soccer head coach Amanda Cromwell part of the coaching staff, the United States Under-20 Team defeated Germany, 1-0, in the semifinals of the FIFA World Cup in Chile Thursday. They will now move on to the finals where the Americans are set to face North Korea Sunday in Santiago at 4:30 p.m. with television information to be made available at ussoccer.com.
The U.S. is searching for its second World Cup title, having won the event in 2002. Cromwell is currently an assistant under head coach Tony DiCicco, as the squad went 2-1 in group play before defeating England in the quarters and Germany in the semis.
By shutting out Germany, the Americans have now posted four shutouts in five matches in the tournament. The lone goal in the semis came in the 21st minute, when Sydney Leroux sprinted into the box to redirect a cross from Nikki Washington into the mesh.
North Korea reached the finals thanks to a 2-1 win over France that witnessed the game-winning goal scored in second-half stoppage time.
The U.S. victory gave the Women's National Team programs its ninth berth in the final of a FIFA world women's world championship, by far the most of any country in the world.
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