FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup Summary
Although Team USA’s journey is now over, Bay FC midfielder Kennedy Fuller has a lot to be happy about:
- She served as the team captain for all four games
- She scored 3 goals (a hat trick in the match against New Zealand!)
- She had 1 assist and contributed to 2 assists that led to 2 goals
- She played all of the first three games and 100 minutes in the last one, which included 30 minutes of overtime
Moreover, she ended her FIFA Youth World Cup career with seven World Cup goals, four at the 2024 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup and three in this tournament. She’s also the sixth U.S. player to score a hat trick in the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup.
See below for the game-by-game breakdown.
Round of 16: USA vs. Brazil
Brazil 1 – USA 1 (Brazil wins 5-4 on penalties) | Wednesday, Sept. 16
The World Cup run for Bay FC midfielder Kennedy Fuller and the U.S. women’s U-20 national team came to an end with a loss to Brazil that was decided on penalty kicks on Wednesday, Sept. 16, in Katowice, Poland. Fuller once again served as captain for the U.S. squad, playing the first 100 minutes of the match before being subbed off in extra time.
The match was scoreless until Brazil defender Sofia Couto scored off a corner kick 59 minutes in, but the U.S. would tie it up four minutes later with a goal from midfielder Ainsley McCammon. The U.S. squad had multiple chances to score down the stretch, but the 1-1 draw help up through the remainder of the match, including extra time. Brazil would ultimately win the match in penalties, 5-4, ending Fuller and the U.S. squad’s World Cup run in the Round of 16. Watch the highlights here.
The starting line-up at USA vs. New Zealand, photo courtesy of USYNT
Group D – Game 3: USA vs. New Zealand
USA 9 – New Zealand 0 | Saturday, Sept. 12
Bay FC midfielder Kennedy Fuller had a hat trick as the U.S. squad beat New Zealand, 9-0, in the final group stage match of the Women’s U-20 World Cup. With the win, the American squad earned third place in their group and advanced to the knockout stage of the global tournament. Fuller scored the team’s second goal in the sixth minute and added two more scores in the second half, the last on a penalty kick in the moments of the match. Watch the highlights here.
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As one of the top third place teams in the group stage – as decided by points and goal differential – the U.S. squad will play Brazil on Wednesday in the Round of 16. Brazil won Group B, winning each of its matches against the likes of England, Canada and Tanzania.
- Next U.S. Match: Wednesday, Sept. 16 at 6 a.m. PT: USA vs. Brazil (Watch on FS2)
The starting line-up at USA vs. Japan, photo courtesy of USYNT
Group D – Game 2: USA vs. Japan
USA 2 – Japan 2 | Wednesday, Sept. 9
The U.S. Women’s U-20 squad earned a point with a 2-2 draw against Japan on Wednesday, Sept. 9, in a wild back-and-forth affair in Łódź, Poland. Bay FC midfielder Kennedy Fuller once again wore the captain’s armband and tallied an assist on the U.S.’s first goal of the match, giving the American squad a 1-0 advantage in the first half. Fuller nearly gave the U.S. a two-goal advantage in the second half, but a diving save from the Japanese goalkeeper kept it a one-score match. The U.S. lead wouldn’t hold, as Japan tied things up in the 74th minute before Alex Buck responded to put the U.S. in front less than a minute later. However, Japan would against tie the score with a perfectly placed strike from substitute Konoha Nakamura in the 83rd minute.
After two matches in the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup, Fuller and the U.S. squad sit in third place in Group D with one final group stage match remaining before they know if they’re bound for the knockout stage of the tournament. Watch the highlights here.
Group D – Game 1: USA vs. Italy
Italy 2 – USA 1 | Sunday, Sept. 6
The U.S. Women’s U-20 squad opened play in Group D with a 2-1 loss to Italy on Sunday, Sept. 6, in Łódź, Poland. Bay FC midfielder Kennedy Fuller served as captain for the American squad and nearly provided the equalizer in second half stoppage time, but her shot hit the post. U.S. teammate Sealey Strawn scored off the rebound, but the goal was quickly disallowed with an on-field ruling of offside, leaving the Americans with a one-goal defeat in their World Cup opener. Watch the highlights here.
FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup Preview
Following the Aug. 30 match at Washington Spirit, Bay FC midfielder Kennedy Fuller joined the U.S. U-20 Women’s national team for the upcoming FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Poland. The international tournament runs between Sept. 5-27, and Fuller first took the pitch for Head Coach Vicky Jepson’s squad on Sunday, Sept. 6.
While this is her first call-up while wearing the Bay FC jersey, she previously earned the Silver Boot as the second-highest scorer when she appeared in the 2024 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in the Dominican Republic. Although Fuller has only been on Bay FC since June 17, she’s appeared in all 10 matches since the June international break, has logged 848 minutes of gameplay, and scored her first goal in her second game.
The U-20 team plays Italy, Japan and New Zealand in Group D (of 6 groups) between Sept. 6 and 12. The first and second-place teams from each of the six groups will advance to the knockout stage, as will the four best third-placed teams. Fans can follow the action on the FOX family of networks.
U.S. Broadcast Schedule
- Sun., Sept. 6 at 9am PT: U.S. vs. Italy on FOX Soccer Plus
- Wed., Sept. 9 at 9am PT: U.S. vs. Japan on FS2
- Sat., Sept. 12 at 6am PT: U.S. vs. New Zealand on FOX Sports One
