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WSL
Mao Itamura and Kennedy Fuller head into the U20 World Cup with fresh club moves - and a group-stage clash looming in Łódź.
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Two of women's football's brightest young talents are heading into the U20 World Cup with new clubs on their CVs - and a group-stage showdown on the horizon.
Mao Itamura, crowned the best player in the Dutch league, has sealed a move to FC Liverpool. Kennedy Fuller, meanwhile, swapped Angel City FC for Bay FC in the National Women's Soccer League.
The tournament kicks off on 6 September. Japan take on New Zealand and the USA face Italy in the opening round. Three days later, Itamura and Fuller go head-to-head in Łódź. Circle that one.
Itamura spent a year and a half in Europe with Feyenoord, bagging eight goals and six assists in her first full season - enough to earn Player of the Year honours from the league's captains. She's already appeared in three youth World Cups, scored at the U17 edition, and helped Japan shine at the U20 Asian Championship.
Fuller is a year younger but no less experienced. With over two NWSL seasons under her belt, she's established herself as a key figure at Bay FC. She's picked up plaudits at the U17 World Cup and Concacaf championships too.
Both operate as attacking midfielders, but their toolkits couldn't be more different. Itamura loves tight-space dribbling - think cat in a phone box. Fuller prefers to accelerate attacks with rapid passes and sharp runs, as detailed by Soccerdonna.
However they do it, both will be ones to watch when the whistle blows next week.
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Updated
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Eva Hernández, Editor-in-Chief
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