U.S. open U20 Women’s World Cup with commanding win

MIAMI, Florida – The 2022 FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup in Costa Rica continued on Thursday with the United States and Canada kicking off their respective group stage campaigns.

It was a triumphant start for the U.S., as they collected a 3-0 victory against Ghana to open their Group D effort at the Estadio Alejandro Morera Soto in Alajuela.

2022 Concacaf Women’s Under-20 Championship Best Player and Top Scorer Michelle Cooper continued her superb form with the game’s opening goal in the 11’ by taking a Laney Rouse cross from the right wing and smacking in a header for a 1-0 lead.

Ghana’s comeback task got a lot tougher in the 31’ when Jacqueline Owusu was sent off, leaving the U.S. a player up with almost an hour to go.

Cooper then got to play the role of playmaker seven minutes later in the 38’, with her cross finding the streaking Alyssa Thompson, who slotted home a shot from a few yards out to make it 2-0.

Ally Sentnor then completed the 3-0 scoreline with a solid finish off a pass from Olivia Moultrie in the 51’ to nail down the three points.

Canada were also in action on Thursday, as they started Group C at the Estadio Nacional in San Jose against South Korea in a 2-0 final that went in favor of the Asian side.

There were chances for both sides in the first 45 minutes, with South Korea testing Canada shot-stopper Anna Karpenko several times, but nothing the 2022 CWU20 Best Goalkeeper couldn’t handle.

Canada sought a goal to start the second half, but instead the momentum was with South Korea and it led to the opening goal in the 53’ when a corner kick took a deflection off Canada’s Brooklyn Courtnall and trickled into net for a 1-0 South Korea lead.

Ten minutes later South Korea struck again via another corner kick with a header from Mun Hayeon putting Canada in a 2-0 hole that held until the final whistle.