Maddie DiMaria nets hat trick as U.S. U-17 Women’s National Team downs Canada 4-1

FAYETTEVILLE, GA – The U.S. U-17 Women’s National Team defeated Canada, 4-1, in their  final international match before the roster is chosen for the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.

Forward Maddie DiMaria, who captained the United States, earned a hat trick behind two penalty kick goals and a 1-on-1 finish in the 41st minute. Forward Amari Manning scored as well, burying the first goal of the night, an impressive header off a Grace Murray corner kick.

This was the 12th international match of the year for U.S. U-17s, which has now compiled a record of 8W-2L-2D in 2026.

The USA drew Mexico, 1-1, in the first game of the training camp on Aug. 13, and won, 1-0, on Aug. 16 vs. Chile, in a match that featured 11 cards but only three cautions to the United States. All three matches were played at the Arthur M. Blank U.S. Soccer National Training Center.

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The United States wasted no time getting on the board, forcing a corner kick in the fourth minute. From the right corner flag, Murray sent a cross towards the top right corner of the six-yard box. Manning came running at the perfectly placed service and rose well over the Canadian defenders to power the ball across the goal mouth, towards the back post and into the net.

Canada tried to answer with a corner of their own in the sixth minute, but U.S. goalkeeper Avellina Saunders punched it away. Canada did equalize in the ninth minute as Ailish Hennessy buried an impressive curling shot. It would be Canada’s last goal of the night, and the USA then scored three unanswered, all from DiMaria.

Manning almost managed another header goal as the U.S. took their fifth corner in 15 minutes, but this time, Canada goalkeeper Kellyanne Dumas made a diving last second save to keep the ball out and give the U.S. yet another corner.

Through the rest of the first half, the two teams swung back and forth between each other’s 18-yard boxes, forcing saves from both Dumas and Saunders.

In the 38th minute, the USA earned a penalty kick after a goal mouth scramble. Midfielder Loradana Paletta laid a pass off to midfielder Isa Ortiz, who played a ball out wide left to Manning. Manning then sent a long cross to Carolina Reyna just inside the 18-yard line and the forward knocked the ball out of the air to the feet of Paletta who took a shot from just about the penalty spot. Dumas made a nice save but couldn’t hold it, and DiMaria was first to the rebound. DiMaria took another shot, which Dumas also saved, but as DiMaria swung at the ball, she was chopped down in the box to win the penalty. DiMaria stepped up herself and buried the ball to put the U.S. back in the lead in the 39th minute.

Just two minutes later, DiMaria would earn a brace on the night and put the U.S. up two before halftime. As Canada tried to build out of the back, Paletta won the ball in midfield and sent it to DiMaria who was waiting on the edge of Canada’s backline, ready to take off. She ran onto the through ball from Paletta, and with only Dumas to beat, slotted it into the bottom left corner past the Canadian ‘keeper who had run out to cut down the angle.

The United States continued to apply pressure through the first ten minutes of the second half and was awarded another trip to the penalty spot for their efforts in the 54th minute. Defender Venina Moodie won the ball on the left side of the pitch, just past the center circle in Canada’s half. She played it through to Ortiz on the run who knocked the ball to DiMaria. A Canadian defender moved to make the tackle and clear the ball but tangled legs and sent DiMaria to the ground, and then back to the spot, where she finished her third goal of the night. It was the 12th international goal for DiMaria at the U-17 level in 18 caps.

Canada had a scoring chance in 66th minute, winning the ball just outside the USA’s 18-yard box. Paige Rueffer played Gabriela Istockl, who turned and got a shot off, but Saunders got down low to make the save cleanly. The U.S. continued to knock on the door through to the final whistle but could not get a fifth goal.

The USA, Canada, Chile and Mexico will all be participating in the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in October in Morocco. The U.S. will face Samoa, Kenya and China PR in Group E at the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.

This camp and matches are a part of the Federation’s continued focus on the U.S. Way philosophy, which emphasizes increased programming for Youth National Teams to create more opportunities for young players to advance through the pathway to the senior National Team with the goal of representing their country at a world championship.

— U.S. UNDER-17 WOMEN’S NATIONAL TEAM MATCH REPORT —

Match: United States U-17 Women’s National Team vs. Canada U-17 Women’s National Team
Date: August 19, 2026
Competition: International Friendly
Venue: Arthur M. Blank U.S. Soccer National Training Center – Field 1; Fayetteville, Ga.
Kickoff: 6 p.m. ET
Weather: 90 degrees, sunny

Lineups:

USA: 1-Avelina Saunders; 2-Venina Moodie, 6-Meila Brewer, 14-Kendra Hansen, 16-Anaiah Williams; 4-Loradana Paletta (18-Caroline Swann, 86), 5-Grace Murray (24-Gabrielle Ferraro, 46), 8-Isa Ortiz (22-Bridget Kopmeyer, 78); 7-Amari Manning, (17-Tatum Gardner, 63), 9-Maddie DiMaria (Capt.) (11-Jordyn Sullivan, 78), 23-Carolina Reyna (10-Deus Stanislaus, 63)

Subs not used: 12-Alexis Fischer, 13-Maddie Maves, 15-Cassie Travers, 19-Georgia Heathcock, 20-Jordyn Heathcock, 21-Kathy Long Capell

Not dressing: 3-Carolyn Voss

Head Coach: Ciara Crinion

CAN: 1-Kellyane Dumas, 4-Elizabeth Proulx (22-Paige Rueffer, 46), 5-Christ-Mayron Brou (20-Bridget Asekomhe, 81), 24-Laure Langlois (3-Iris Adelaide Oppong, 46); 7-Lacey Kindel (Capt.) (12-Adrianna Giese, 62), 13-Chloe Scicchitano (6-Brady Burtnett, 71), 15-Brooklyn Schwartzberg (8-Isabella Lanzillotta, 62), 9-Reed Tingley (19-Brooklyn Boldt, 71), 10-Gabriela Istockl (16-Adalyn Fairweather, 71), 11-Mélyna Nyann Alexis (14-Clara Marilou Harvey, 71), 23-Ailish Hennessy (17-Alyssa McLeod, 63)

Subs not used: 18-Megan Lemieux, 21-Samantha Powell, 2-Azalya Patterson, 8-Isabella Lanzillotta

Head Coach: Jen Herst

Stats Summary: USA / CAN
Shots: 19 / 6
Shots on Goal: 13 / 3
Saves: 3 / 9
Corner Kicks: 14 / 5
Fouls: 6 / 15
Offside: 4 / 1

Officials:
Referee: Robert Benge (USA)
Assistant Referee 1: Ivan Ivanstanin (USA)
Assistant Referee 2: Angelina Bianchi (USA)
Fourth Official: Ethan Bruns (USA)