USA fall to Brazil on penalties for disappointing exit from U-20 Women’s World Cup

Americans have not won tournament since 2012 US youth teams have struggled in recent showings Timing of U-20 World Cup has drawn criticism The United States were eliminated from the U-20 Women’s World Cup in the last 16, falling to Brazil on penalties on Wednesday after playing to a 1-1 draw after extra-time.

Brazil goalkeeper Thaís Lima made a crucial save on Emeri Adames’s attempt to begin the shootout, opening the eventual 5-4 finish in Katowice, Poland.

The result extends a difficult run of form for US youth national teams across the men’s and women’s programs.

This is the third time since last October that a US youth team has failed to win a knockout game at a World Cup: the U-17 boys and the U-17 girls both exited in the last 16 of their respective tournaments in shootouts.

The U-20 men fell in the quarter-final of their World Cup in October 2025.

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