LODZ, Poland (Sept. 6, 2026) – Handed the troublesome job of opening the World Cup towards a powerful European opponent, the U.S. Below-20 Ladies’s Nationwide Crew fell, 2-1, to Italy within the first-ever assembly between the 2 sides.

The People created extra hazard within the attacking third on the evening – hitting the woodwork twice – but it surely was Italy that was extra environment friendly, capitalizing on a number of U.S. errors to earn its two objectives.

The USA began a lineup that includes seven NWSL professionals – two of which mixed for the opening purpose – however the Italian aspect grew all through the match to earn the win, scoring two scrappy objectives to come back from behind.

The USA received on the board first within the 18th minute after constructing out of the again. Central defender Lizzie Boamah dribbled down the left aspect earlier than taking part in a cross to left wing Emeri Adames. The Seattle Reign ahead beat her defender with a nutmeg, lower inside and performed a sq. ball with tempo throughout the face of purpose. Italian goalkeeper Elena Belli received a finger on the ball, but it surely rolled to ahead Micayla Johnson for a left-footed tap-in.

The purpose was the third for the Chicago Stars striker on the U-20 degree in simply her fifth cap, and it marked the third FIFA youth World Cup over three consecutive years that Johnson has scored, having additionally tallied within the 2024 and 2025 FIFA U-17 Ladies’s World Cups. She is the primary American participant to realize that feat. Johnson scored 9 objectives in 18 caps on the U-17 degree.

Johnson and Adames linked once more minutes later, almost doubling the lead. Johnson made a central run and performed a ball out extensive to Adames, who created house from her defender with a step-over on the high of the field earlier than blasting a left-footed shot that Belli pushed off the crossbar.

The Italian frontline misplayed a number of scoring alternatives within the first half, but it surely capitalized on an opportunity simply earlier than halftime to earn the equalizer. Midfielder Giada Pellegrino Cimo performed a cross contained in the field for ahead Karen Appiah, whose first-time shot was saved by the foot of U.S. goalkeeper Caroline Birkel. The ball popped up within the air and Italy midfielder Paola Fadda was first to the rebound, tapping the ball beneath a sliding Boamah and throughout the purpose line.

Pellegrino Cimo gave Italy its first lead of the evening within the 59th minute with a purpose much like the USA’s opener. Italy performed up the left wing and U.S. defender Ella Bard gained possession of the ball, just for ahead Giulia Galli to steal it again and race to the purpose. She despatched a cross into the field that Birkel received her arms on, but it surely slipped by, and Pellegrino Cimo was there to complete the tipped cross from shut vary, as soon as once more previous a sliding Boamah.

After its second purpose, Italy was content material to take a seat again and counterattack, and located success with each techniques, filling the defensive third with gamers and difficult the USA to discover a means by. The younger People virtually did.

The USA pushed to search out an equalizer within the closing half hour, primarily by substitute forwards Alex Buck and Sealey Strawn. Within the 78th minute, Buck received on the top of a by ball from captain Kennedy Fuller, however Belli saved Buck’s shot from shut vary. Moments later, Strawn obtained the ball on the far put up off a nook kick, however her shot sailed over the purpose.

Within the closing minute of stoppage time, it appeared as if the People had leveled the match after Strawn completed a shot from Fuller that had bounced off the left put up. Nonetheless, a VAR test dominated her offside by mere inches.

The USA will proceed its Group D journey on Sept. 9 again on the Stadion Miejski LKS towards Japan (Midday ET on FS2, Peacock and Telemundo). Japan has completed no decrease than fourth in its final 5 U-20 Ladies’s World Cup tournaments. The U.S. then will conclude the group stage on Sept. 12 vs. New Zealand in Sosnowiec.

The highest two finishers in every of the six four-team teams will advance to the Spherical of 16, together with the 4 greatest third-place sides.

GOAL SCORING RUNDOWN:

USA – MICAYLA JOHNSON (EMERI ADAMES),18th minute: Ahead Emeri Adames obtained the ball on the left flank and lower contained in the field earlier than taking part in a low cross in entrance of purpose. Italian goalkeeper Elena Belli dove to get a contact on the ball, but it surely continued on its path to Johnson, who tapped within the cross together with her left foot from shut vary. USA 1, ITA 0

ITA – PAOLA FADDA, fortieth minute: Midfielder Giada Pellegrino Cimo made a central run with the ball earlier than laying it off to ahead Karen Appiah contained in the field. Appiah took a shot together with her first contact, however USA goalkeeper Caroline Birkel got here out to deflect it together with her left foot. The ball popped within the air, bounced off the again of defender Aven Alvarez and fell in entrance of Paola Fadda, who poked it over the purpose line. USA 1, ITA 1

ITA – GIADA PELLEGRINO CIMO, 59th minute: Defender Azzurra Gallo performed winger Giulia Galli down the left flank. U.S. defender Ella Bard intercepted the cross, however Galli gained the ball again and continued her run at purpose. She despatched a cross contained in the six-yard field and Birkel received her gloves on it, however the ball landed in entrance of Pellegrino Cimo, who completed from shut vary. USA 1, ITA 2 FINAL

ADDITIONAL NOTES:

• Six gamers on the U.S. staff made their FIFA World Cup debuts whereas all of the starters however ahead Emeri Adames performed for the primary time in a FIFA U-20 Ladies’s World Cup. Adames performed in all seven matches at this match in 2024 in Colombia.
• GK Caroline Birkel, D Emma Johnson, D Lizzie Boamah, D Ella Bard, D Aven Alvarez, MF Linda Ullmark, MF Lily Joseph, F Audrey McKeen, F Alex Buck and F Sealey Strawn all performed of their first-ever World Cup matches.
• This was the primary assembly between the USA and Italy in a FIFA WWC at this age degree.
• Sealey Strawn picked up the USA’s lone yellow card warning on the evening.

-U.S. UNDER-20 WOMEN’S NATIONAL TEAM MATCH REPORT-

Match: United States Below-20 Ladies’s Nationwide Crew vs. Italy Below-20 Ladies’s Nationwide Crew

Date: Sept. 6, 2026

Competitors: 2026 FIFA Below-20 Ladies’s World Cup – Group D

Venue: Stadion Miejski LKS Lodz; Lodz, Poland

Attendance: 267 

Kickoff: 6 p.m. native (Midday ET)

Climate: 65 levels, partly cloudy

Lineups:

USA: 1-Caroline Birkel; 13-Katie Scott (3-Emma Johnson, 46), 5-Lizzie Boamah, 4-Ella Bard, 2-Aven Alvarez; 8-Kennedy Fuller (Capt.), 6-Ainsley McCammon, 10-Linda Ullmark (18-Nyanya Touray, 72); 17-Micayla Johnson(20-Lily Joseph, 86), 7-Audrey McKeen (9-Alex Buck, 58), 11-Emeri Adames (19-Sealey Strawn, 72) 

Substitutes not used: 12-Evan O’Steen, 14-Hope Munson, 15-Pearl Cecil, 16-Y-Lan Nguyen, 21-Kealey Titmuss

Head coach: Vicky Jepson

ITA: 1-Elena Belli; 13-Martina Tosello, 16-Martina Bressan, 4-Martina Cocino, 5-Azzurra Gallo (Capt.); 6-Maya Cherubini (20-Gabriella Langella, 79), 8-Paola Fadda (18-Giada Catena, 64), 14-Sofia Testa, 10-Giada Pellegrino Cimò (19-Manuela Sciabica, 79), 11-Karen Appiah (17-Marta Zamboni, 69); 7-Giulia Galli

Substitutes not used: 2-Lidia Consolini, 3-Caterina Venturelli, 9-Rosanna Ventriglia, 12-Lavinia Tornaghi, 15-Emma Lombardi, 21-Erica Di Nallo

Head coach: Nicola Matteucci

Stats Abstract: USA / ITA

Pictures: 11 / 14

Pictures on Aim: 4 / 6

Saves: 4 / 3

Nook Kicks: 4 / 5

Fouls: 10 / 8

Offside: 1 / 2

Officers:

Referee: Casey Reibelt (AUS)

AR1: Emma Kocbek (AUS)

AR2: Madelaine Allum (AUS)

Fourth Official: Dione Rissios (AUS)

VAR: Rodrigo Carvajal (CHI)

Asst. VAR: Ismael Cornejo (SLV)