UCLA's Ellis, Leroux Lead U.S. Women's Under-20 Team in Guatemala
UCLA and U.S. Under-20 Coach Jill Ellis and Bruin striker Sydney Leroux, named the 2008 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup Golden Shoe and Golden Ball winner, lead a 20-player squad in an eight-team regional qualifying tournament in Guatemala for the 2010 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup set for Germany.
The opening U.S. game against Jamaica can be seen live at 2:30 p.m. Thursday on Fox Soccer Channel or streaming (free) here (registration required). It's the first time CONCACAF or any regional confederation has offered free live coverage of a youth tournament online.
Leroux, who had 23 goals for the Bruins last season, scored five goals in the U-20 World Cup, earning her the Golden Ball as tournament MVP and the Golden Shoe as top scorer. Leroux is the most capped player at the U-20 level on the qualifying roster, with a dozen goals in 16 games.
Also on the squad is Bruin midfielder Zakiya Bywaters.
More on the team and tournament here.
The U.S. also plays Trinidad & Tobago Saturday and Mexico Monday at the same time.
Three nations will qualify for the World Cup.
About 100 Percent Soccer
Sportswriter Nick Green has written the 100 Percent Soccer column since 2005 for the Daily News, Daily Breeze and other Los Angeles area newspapers. The blog of the same name began in 2007. A native of England, he began writing about soccer in the mid-1980s and in 2000 permanently exchanged a seat in the stands for one in the press box. He lives six miles from Carson's Home Depot Center, home of the Los Angeles Galaxy, Chivas USA and the training headquarters for U.S. Soccer and is married to a long-suffering soccer widow. Join Nick on FaceBook and follow him on Twitter.
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