After a 1-0 win on the 10th, the US Under-20s completed the two-game series against France with a 2-1 victory today on goals from a free kick by Lindsey Horan, and Margaret Purce.
Lindsey Horan, who had sat out the first match, started this one and got the first goal for the US in the 11th minute. She would be subbed out just five minutes later, however, after a head-to-head collision with a French player; hopefully just a precautionary measure. Horan now has 10 goals this cycle, leading the U-20s.
The second US goal came in the 21th minute, when Mallory Pugh got around a defender and sent a ball into the box where Margaret Purce headed it into the net, her fifth goal with the U-20s. Pugh now has two assists to go with her two goals, all in just four matches.
France got one back in the 39th minute, via Faustine Robert. A very eventful 30 minutes in that first half.
Two players got their first minutes with the team: defender Kaleigh Riehl played the full match, and midfielder Carlyn Baldwin subbed in for Andi Sullivan in the 62nd minute. Between the two matches, all 20 players on the roster got at least a few minutes, and 15 of them got at least one start. Just two players played all 180 minutes: defenders Katie Naughton and Stephanie Amack.
Brittany Basinger was subbed out in the 27th minute, replaced by Laura Liedle, but it’s unknown if that was tactical or due to injury.
Jane Campbell was the goalkeeper this time, after Katie Rowland handled the 6/10 match. They have split 13 of the 16 matches in this cycle – Rowland has played in 8 to Campbell’s 6, with each taking a half in a March match – making for two experienced primary keepers.
Notably, a 15-month streak came to an end with this match: Cari Roccaro did not start, nor did she play a single minute, after playing the full 90 in every match the U-20s have played in this cycle to date. This leaves Katie Naughton (who played the full match) as the lone player to have played in all 16 matches so far, although she is still only fourth in total minutes played. Roccaro joins Andi Sullivan and Rose Lavelle in the 15-match club.
Scoring Summary
USA – Lindsey Horan – 11′
USA – Margaret Purce (Mallory Pugh) – 21′
FRA – Faustine Robert – 39′
Lineups
USA: 1-Jane Campbell; 18-Katie Naughton, 10-Brittany Basinger (15-Laura Liedle, 27), 20- Kaleigh Riehl, 5-Stephanie Amack; 19-Andi Sullivan (4-Carlyn Baldwin, 61), 2-Rose Lavelle, Mallory Pugh, 13-Makenzy Doniak (11-Summer Green, 61); 25-Savannah Jordan (14-Rachel Hill, 82),6-Lindsey Horan (9-Margaret Purce, 11, 16-McKenzie Meehan, 86)
Subs not used: 12-Katelyn Rowland, 3-Cari Roccaro, 8-Morgan Andrews
Head Coach: Michelle French