Starting XI: Laurel Ivory, Isabelle Rodriguez, Naomi Girma, Samantha Hiatt, Kiara Pickett, Viviana Villacorta, Jaelin Howell, Ashley Sanchez, Erin Gilroy, Sophia Smith, Savannah DeMelo
The United States U-20 women’s team opened up their World Cup group play against Japan. They started out in a 4-3-3, though they fell back in more of a 4-5-1, with Gilroy and DeMelo expected to shuttle back and forth between midfield and forward lines. A lot of the US’ movement in the first half came along those flanks, focusing more heavily on the right as Sanchez, Howell, and DeMelo set up better interplay looking for the cross.