ROUND OF 16: U.S. to face Brazil in U-20 Women’s World Cup

Overview:

After a group stage in which the U.S. Under-20 women’s national team has struggled through, the Americans will meet Brazil in the Round of 16 of the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup on Wednesday, Sept. 16.

After a group stage in which the U.S. Under-20 women’s national team has struggled through, the Americans will meet Brazil in the Round of 16 of the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup on Wednesday, Sept. 16.

The game will take place at Arena Katowice in Katowice, Poland (9 a.m. ET on FS2 and Universo).

In the group stage, the USA lost its first game to Italy, 2-1, tied U-20 power Japan, 2-2, in its second match and then defeat New Zealand, 9-0, to finish the group.

The Americans advanced to the knockout stages as one of the four best third-place teams out of the six groups, finishing with four points and a plus-8 goal differential. The USA was the highest-ranked third-place team out of the six groups.

In the quarterfinal round, the winner of the USA-Brazil match will play the winner of the Spain-Portugal Round of 16 encounter.

In all the knockout matches of the tournament, if matches are tied at the end of regulation, 30 minutes of extra time will be played, followed by penalty kicks if the match is still tied.

The USA and Brazil have played three times in the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup with the former side winning twice and losing once, that one coming in penalty kicks.

The teams haven’t met since the 2014 tournament, when the USA won, 1-0, in the second match of group play on a goal from current U.S. men’s national team captain Lindsey Heaps.

The squads met in back-to-back tournaments in 2004 and 2006. The USA beat Brazil, then led by an 18-year-old Marta, in the 2004 third-place match, 3-0, as Megan Rapinoe was one of the goal scorers. In 2006, the foes met in the third-place match. After a 0-0draw through regulation, fell 6-5 in penalty kicks.

More recently, these two teams met in two matches in April in Missouri in an event hosted by the Kansas City Current, with the USA winning the first game 2-0 on goals from Linda Ullmark and San Diego Wave midfielder Kimmi Ascanio and drawing the second, 1-1, in a contest that was suspended after 79 minutes due to inclement weather. Ascanio also scored in that game.

U.S. roster

College or Club; Hometown; U-20 Caps/Goals)

Goalkeepers (3): Caroline Birkel (Stanford; St. Louis, Mo.; 9), Evan O’Steen (Seattle Reign FC; Grapevine, Texas; 2), Kealey Titmuss (Penn State; Grand Blanc, Mich.; 5)

Defenders (7): Aven Alvarez (UNC; New Hill, N.C.; 15/0), Ella Bard (Louisville; Wadsworth, Ohio; 9/0), Lizzie Boamah (Stanford; San Diego, Calif.; 9/0), Pearl Cecil (Virginia; Encinitas, Calif.; 2/0), Emma Johnson (Penn State; Greenfield, Ind.; 12/1), Hope Munson (UNC; Holladay, Utah; 8/0), Katie Scott (Kansas City Current; Fairview, Pa.; 13/1)

Midfielders (6): Kennedy Fuller (Bay FC; Southlake, Texas; 11/5), Lily Joseph (Notre Dame; Hamden, Conn; 4/0), Ainsley McCammon (Seattle Reign FC; Bedford, Texas; 8/1), Y-Lan Nguyen (Stanford; Fairfax, Va.; 7/0), Nyanya Touray (Florida State; Silver Spring, Md.; 6/0), Linda Ullmark (Houston Dash; Buffalo, N.Y.; 10/7)

Forwards (5): Emeri Adames (Seattle Reign FC; Red Oak, Texas; 20/3), Alex Buck (Washington; Medina, Wash.; 9/4), Micayla Johnson (Chicago Stars FC; Troy, Mich; 7/4), Audrey McKeen (Racing Louisville FC; Vienna, Va.; 4/0), Sealey Strawn (UNC; Prosper, Texas; 5/1)

U-20 Women’s World Cup Round of 16 Matchups:

Sept. 16

Argentina vs. Korea Republic

Italy vs. China PR 

Brazil vs. USA

Spain vs. Portugal

Sept. 17

DPR Korea vs. Japan

France vs. Canada 

England vs. Nigeria

Poland vs. Colombia