USA put two past outstanding El Jebraoui (Morocco)in FIFA Women Under 20 World Cup
A heroic defensive display from Morocco limited USA to just the two goals on an evening when they unleashed a whopping 28 shots.
USA win reignites their progression hopes
Three-time champions unleashed a whopping 28 shots
Morocco need to produce against Spain in their final outing.
Goals: Yuna McCormack (48), Maddie Dahlien (90+7) Player of the Match: Fatima El Jebraoui (Morocco)
As was to be expected in a clash pitting a nation that has set up camp at the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup™ and one making their debut, USA thoroughly dominated things against Morocco – in all bar once crucial area.
While the 2-0 scoreline was enough to reignite the Stars and Stripes’ progression hopes, it didn’t tell half the story in a clash where they had a whopping 28 attempts on goal, seven of those from inside the penalty box.
A combination of Moroccan goalkeeper Fatima El Jebraoui, some tigerish, last-ditch defending, wayward finishing and the post – twice – conspired to deny USA in a first half where they established their dominance.
It took just three minutes into the second for the pressure to finally pay off though, as the relentless Gisele Thompson strode into vacant territory down the right and found Yuna McCormack, whose calm first touch was the prologue, a composed, cushioned finish the coda.
Still the shots continued to rain down, still the Moroccan rearguard refused to budge. Ally Sentnor, McCormack, Savannah King and Pietra Tordin were among a slew of Americans to be denied by the determined debutants, before a tidy finish from substitute Maddie Dahlien finally broke the dogged resistance.
That result set USA up for a winner-takes-all showdown with Paraguay on the final matchday, while Morocco will need to pull off an upset against Spain to avoid an early exit.
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