US U17 Women Fall to Japan at World Cup

The Americans opened the match brightly as they  grabbed the lead only 2 minutes into the game as forward Vicki DiMartino scored.  The goal came off a long throw-in from the left sideline by Cloee Colohan that bounced inside the penalty box before Japanese goalkeeper Saki Nakamura made a play for it.  DiMartino challenged hard inside the 6-yard box and crashed into the Japanese goalkeeper, who had bobbled the ball. The referee did not call a foul as DiMartino put the ball into the net.

The US Women lost midfielder Erika Tymrak to a hip injury 30 minutes into the game.  As the Us played short  Japan tied the game  as substitute Elizabeth Eddy waited at midfield to enter.  The goal came after Chiaki Shimada's shot from 35 yards hit the crossbar and rebounded into the middle of the penalty area. Forward Mana Iwabuchi was first to the rebound, settling the ball before shooting into the left corner from 8 yards past US goalkeeper Taylor Vancil.

The Americans jumped back ahead after the break as Kristie Mewis scored in the 51st minute.  The US took advantage of its pressure to force a poor Japanese clearance that skipped right to Mewis, who was outside the penalty area on the left side. She hit a shot from 22 yards that skipped into the left corner of the goal.

Japan fought back tied it at 2-2 when Natsumi Kameoka fired a shot from 36 yards that sailed over Vancil and under the crossbar in the 68th minute.  After Japan went ahead 3-2 with 15 minutes to go, the US came close to the tying goal as sisters Kristie and Samantha Mewis each created chances late.

With 10 minutes left, Samantha Mewis got free in the right corner of the penalty area with a spinning move and then fired at the left corner, only to see Nakamura get a glove to the ball to force it off the inside of the post. Three minutes later, a Kristie Mewis cross from the left was slapped away by the Japanese goalkeeper.  The win for Japan was its first over the United States in a FIFA women's match. The loss for the U.S. was the first in an international match for this team.  The Americans face Paraguay in its second Group C match on November 2nd.