Jordynn Dudley, 19, aims to major in architecture at Florida State University, where she arrived from her hometown of Alpharetta, Georgia, in 2023 and helped FSU win its fourth NCAA national title.
She’s also part of the U.S. women’s national team — comprised of eight NWSL and 12 college players, and a high schooler — at the 2024 Under-20 Women’s World Cup in Colombia.
On Wednesday, Coach Tracey Kevins‘ team faces North Korea aiming to become the first U.S. team to reach the biennial tournament’s final since the USA won its last of three titles in 2012.
The USA had failed to reach the knockout stage at the last two U-20 World Cups. In Colombia it opened with a 1-0 loss to defending champion Spain in Cali. But wins over Morocco (2-0) and Paraguay (7-0) sent the Americans into the second round, which is when Dudley’s heroics began.
The round-of-16 was a rematch of the Concacaf U-20 Champions final that Mexico won 2-1 last year in the Dominican Republic. In Bogota, the Mexicans responded to goals by Princeton striker Pietra Tordin and Utah Royals’ Ally Sentnor to send the game into overtime, at 2-2.
Dudley, an 87th-minute sub, received a Yuna McCormack pass at the edge of the penalty area in the 7th minute of overtime. Dudley dribbled casually at Mexican defender Natalia Colin while in advancing toward the goal until with a swift feint she herself up to half-volley the ball over goalkeeper Renatta Cota for the 3-2 gamewinner.
The quarterfinal pit the USA against the only other three-time winner, Germany. At the 90-minute mark the USA was down 1-0 and an early stoppage-time goal gave the Germans a 2-0 lead. Dudley, a 63rd-minute sub, sparked the most unlikely of comebacks in the 8th-minute of stoppage time.
She met a lobbed ball out of midfield from Ally Lemos at the edge of the penalty area. Displaying the similar patience on the ball as she did while scoring against Mexico, Dudley dribbled in for a crisp close-range shot into the corner.
Sentnor’s goal less than 90 seconds later sent the game into overtime, after which the USA won the shootout, 3-1.
“I would never want to be a defender against her,” said U.S. defender Heather Gilchrist, an FSU teammate of Dudley’s. “I think if I was faced up with her I would run the other direction. She’s one of the most talented players I’ve played with and its incredible to see what she can do with the ball.”
USA 2024 U-20 World Cup Scorers:
4 Pietra Tordin (Princeton Univ.)
3 Ally Sentnor (Utah Royals)
2 Maddie Dahlien (Univ. of North Carolina), Jordynn Dudley (Florida State Univ.), Yuna McCormack (Univ. of Virginia),
1 Gisele Thompson (Angel City)
The USA last reached the semis in 2016, when it fell 2-1, in overtime, North Korea, which went on to win its second title.
But in Colombia, a U.S. squad with an unprecedented number pro players faces the North Koreans, who beat 2022 third-place finisher Brazil 1-0 in the quarterfinals and Austria, 5-2, in the round of 16. They stormed through group play with wins over Argentina (6-2), Costa Rica (9-0) and 2022 runner-up the Netherlands (2-0).
“As much intensity that they [North Korea] bring, that’s also what we try to be known for ourselves so we need to counter that with intensity and aggression [of our own],” said U.S. midfielder Riley Jackson, “by putting them under a lot of pressure in the first minutes of the game, just really putting our stamp on the game.”
The eight U.S. pros are all amid their NWSL rookie seasons, led by No. 1 draft pick Sentnor, who also played in 2022 U-20 World Cup. Her equalizer against Germany was her third goal in three straight games.
Sentnor (17 starts), NWSL’s July Player of the Month, and Kansas City Current midfielder Claire Hutton (16 starts) have seen the most NWSL action.
Defender Gisele Thompson, who’s teammates with her older sister Alyssa at Angel City, defender Savy King (Bay FC), midfielder Lemos (Orlando Pride), Jackson (North Carolina Courage) and forward Emeri Adames (Seattle Reign) have all seen action for their clubs this season. Defender Jordan Bugg signed with Seattle in late July.
Coverage of the USA winning the inaugural U-20 Women’s World Cup: Soccer America Sept. 23, 2002.
USA at U-20 Women’s World Cup
Year U.S. finish (U.S. coach)
2022 group stage (Tracey Kevins)
2020 cancelled/Covid
2018 group stage (Jitka Klimkova).
2016 Fourth place (Michelle French)
2014 Quarterfinals (Michelle French)
2012 Champion (Steve Swanson)
2010 Quarterfinals (Jill Ellis)
2008 Champion (Tony DiCicco)
2006 Fourth place (Tim Schulz)
2004 Third place (Mark Krikorian)
2002 Champion (Tracey Leone)
Tordin’s team-leading four goals, a hat trick against Paraguay and the against Mexico, are the most by a U.S. player at the competition since Maya Hayes in 2012. Alex Morgan scored four and Sydney Leroux won the Golden Boot scored five when the USA lifted the title in 2008.
The last U.S. team that won the U-20 World Cup, in 2012, included Crystal Dunn, Julie Ertz and Sam Mewis.
Whether or not Kevins’ women match that feat, their spectacular run to reach the final four indicate some bright futures with the full national team.
U-20 Women’s World Cup, semifinals:
Wednesday, Sept. 18
USA-North Korea 5:30 p.m. ET (FS2 & Telemundo Digital)
Japan-Netherlands 9 p.m. ET.
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Publish date : 2024-09-17 11:43:00
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