August 6, 1998
DWINGELO, Holland – The U.S. under-20 national team tied host Holland 1-1 on Wednesday in their second game of the eight-team Nordic Cup, the most prestigious international junior soccer championship. Winners over Finland on Monday by 1-0, the U.S., which won the Nordic Cup gold medal a year ago on a sudden-death overtime goal by Notre Dame junior All-American Jenny Streiffer, faces a must-win game against Sweden on Friday to advance to the gold medal game.
Streiffer and Irish junior All-American goalkeeper LaKeysia Beene and junior All-American defender Jen Grubb all started for the Americans. Beene and Grubb played the entire 90 minutes while Streiffer left in the 55th minute.
Grubb anchored the backline, helping to hold Holland to three shots. Beene had two saves but Holland scored in a scramble when Beene knocked down a first shot but failed to smother the rebound which was punched in from close range for the tying goal in the 57th minute. The U.S. had scored on a penalty kick in the 26th minute.
“We are not satisfied with the tie,” said U.S. captain Jen Grubb. “We’re still in good position on Friday against Sweden. It adds pressure, but it’s a situation we welcome and accept as one of the top teams in the world.”