The USYNT advances to the U-20 Women’s World Cup Round of 16

SOSNOWIEC, Poland – The 2026 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup Group Stage action saw the United States get their first win in Group D after a 9-nil score against New Zealand on Saturday at Arena Sosnowiec in Sosnowiec, Poland.

The North Americans wasted no time in finding the back of New Zealand’s net, with Alex Buck opening the score in the 4’, closely followed by captain Kennedy Fuller, who doubled their lead in the 6’.

Micayla Johnson was ready in the box to send a header past the New Zealand goalkeeper in the 38’ to score third goal of the day. The fourth goal for the Stars and Stripes came in the 43’ thanks to a left foot shot in the area by Linda Ullmark.

The Concacaf side didn’t slow down, Buck securing their fifth goal, and a brace, in the 58’. Emeri Adames kept the tally going with a left foot shot in the 60’, getting the sixth goal of the match.

Fuller became the second player of the day to secure a brace, scoring USYNT seventh goal in the 83’. Sealey Strawn added her name to the goalscorers list of the day in the 87’ with a right foot shot from the center of the box, the eight goal for the North Americans,

Fuller closed the match with a hat-trick from the penalty spot in the 90’+2, sending the ball to the bottom right corner of the net to score the ninth and final goal for the USYNT.

With this result, the United States finished the Group Stage as one of the best third places with 1W-1D-1L and a goal difference of eight goals, clinching a spot in the Round of 16 of the 2026 FIFA U-20 World Cup.

Post-Match Data USA vs New Zealand

USA played for the 4th time against an opponent from Oceania at the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup (twice against Australia and twice against New Zealand – W4).

USA have scored four goals in the first half of a FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup match for the second time across the last two editions (2024 and 2026), becoming the only team alongside Germany (twice in 2024) to achieve this twice over this period.

Hope Munson is the first defender to provide two assists in a single match at this edition of the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup. The last player to achieve that was the Netherlands' Emma Frijns against Argentina in 2024

With their nine goals scored today, USA reaches an overall of 133 goals scored in the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup—the second-highest tally in the competition's history behind Germany (145), which is not taking part in the tournament this year.