August 26, 2002

USA's performance at FIFA Championship is a reminder of the first international games played by a U.S. U-19 National Team that included Biefeld (Fawcett), Foudy, Hamm and Lilly in 1987

In July, 1987 an Under-19 National Team superbly coached by Hank Leung played their first international matches ever against the Senior National Teams of Norway and Sweden in the North American Cup at Blaine, Minnesota. They tied Norway and lost to Sweden but their performance was so impressive for a team with an average age of 17 years, that we took several of them to China later that year. Mia Hamm was 15, and both Julie Foudy and Kris Lilly were 16. Pia Sundhage, Lena Videkull, Eleonar Hultin, and Annette Borjeson all scored for Sweden but after the game the Swedish Head Coach Ulf Lyfors told me "that No. 14 Julie Foudy was very good."

Under-19 Head Coach Leung was also an Assistant Coach for the U.S. National Team which was taking part in the same tournament. U.S. National Team Head Coach April Heinrichs was their star player and captain, and another member of that squad was the present Head Coach of the U.S. Under-19 National Team Tracey Bates.

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