Lions loose out in Chile

FIFA Under-20 Women's World Cup
Quarter Final, Chillan, Chile, 10pm (GMT), Sunday 30 November 2008 

"England Women U20s saw their World Cup campaign come to an unfortunate end on Sunday evening, when they were beaten in the Quarter Final by the USA in Chile."

 
However, the 3-0 scoreline doesn't particularly reflect the pattern of the game, with the teams still level at half-time only for the US to regroup and hit three goals in a second-half flurry.

It was a tight first half and both teams had opportunities to break the deadlock, with England's Brooke Chaplen coming closest after 23 minutes when she saw a powerful shot fly inches wide of the target.

At the other end the dangerous Sydney Leroux also saw a chance go begging, with little to separate the teams.

The US made changes at the break and it had the desired impact as they edged ahead eight minutes after the re-start. Substitute Christione Nairn had an instant impact as she crossed for Keelin Winters to head home.

Mo Marley's team responded well, but just couldn't find an equaliser and it was within the final ten minutes that the US got their second goal, Leroux heading home Nairn's corner in the 81st minute.

If that was hard on England, then four minutes into injury time the US really put the gloss on the result as a swift counter-attack saw Leroux get her second of the day and send the USA to the Semi-Finals, where they will play the winners of the Quarter Final game between Brazil and Germany on Monday evening.