U.S. U-17 WNT seeks World Cup Qualification at Concacaf Championship

U.S. Under-17 Women’s National Team
2018 CONCACAF Women’s U-17 Championship
National Football Stadium; Managua, Nicaragua
April 19-29, 2018

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(Via U.S. Soccer) – The U.S. U-17 Women’s National Team kicks off the 2018 CONCACAF Women’s U-17 Championship on Friday, April 20 against Costa Rica (10:00 p.m. ET; go90).

The match marks the USA’s first step towards qualification for the 2018 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, to be held this fall in Uruguay. Group B play continues for the USA on Sunday, April 22 against Bermuda (10:00 p.m. ET; Go90) and wraps up on Tuesday, April 24 as the U.S. takes on Canada (10:00 p.m. ET; Go90). All of the tournament’s matches will be played at the National Football Stadium in Managua, Nicaragua and broadcast on go90.com.

+READ: Girls Development Academy East Conference Recap | April 14-15, 2018

2018 Concacaf Women’s U-17 Championship
USA – Group B Schedule

Date Match Kickoff (ET) Broadcast Venue
April 20 USA vs. Costa Rica 10:00 p.m. go90 National Football Stadium; Managua, Nicaragua
April 22 USA vs. Bermuda 10:00 p.m. go90 National Football Stadium; Managua, Nicaragua
April 24 USA vs. Canada 10:00 p.m. go90 National Football Stadium; Managua, Nicaragua

WATCH U-17 WNT QUALIFYING FREE ON GO90: All tournament matches will be streamed via the go90 app and online at go90.com. Watch live in the USA on a mobile device or tablet by downloading the free go90 app on the App Store or Google Play. No registration or authentication is required. Fans can also watch matches free on their laptops at go90.com.

TOURNAMENT FORMAT: This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Concacaf Women’s U-17 Championship, and the sixth edition of the tournament. Launched in 2008 to qualify teams for the newly established FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, the regional championship sends three teams from North America, Central America and the Caribbean to the 2018 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Uruguay. The top two teams from each group qualify for the semifinals, and the winners of those two matches, plus the third-place game winner, punch their World Cup tickets. Group A features first-time participant and host Nicaragua, Mexico and Puerto Rico. The USA was drawn into Group B, alongside first-time participant Bermuda, Canada and Costa Rica.

RUN-UP TO NICARAGUA: It’s been a successful start to the cycle for the U-17s, as they arrive in Managua with a 16-1-4 international record since the start of the cycle last April. In 2018, the U-17s stand at 7-0-1, scoring 32 goals while allowing just two.

In preparation for this year’s World Cup qualifying tournament, the USA has taken on 12 different countries, including fixtures against Concacaf rivals Canada, Haiti and Mexico. The team’s lone cycle defeat came in a barnburner 5-4 loss to China, while trophies have been won while playing against the likes of England and Italy at the Torneo Femminile delle Nazioni in Italy and Slovenia as well as at the Copa Provincia de Buenos Aires against a trio of South American squads. Most recently, the USA went undefeated in a three-game set against World Cup-bound Japan in Lakewood Ranch, Fla.

Players born on or after January 1, 2001 are eligible for the 2018 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup. Head coach Mark Carr’s 20-player roster includes 16 players born in 2001 and four born in 2002.

CONCACAF U-17 HISTORY: While the Concacaf Women’s U-17 Championship is just a decade old, the USA has already established a history of success at the event. The red, white and blue have taken home the tournament title three of the five times it’s been contested (2008, 2012, 2016) and the competition has served to launch the international careers of several current WNT stalwarts. Samantha Mewis, Morgan Brian and Crystal Dunn played in the inaugural 2008 tournament. Lindsey Horan, Brian and Abby Dahlkemper helped lead the team in 2010, Andi Sullivan was a major player in helping U-17s to the 2012 title and Mallory Pugh was one of the 2013 team’s leading scorers.

TICKETS ALREADY PUNCHED: More than half the field is already set for the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, as just Concacaf and Europe are yet to hold qualifiers that will each send three teams to Uruguay. In addition to the hosts, Brazil and Colombia have qualified from South America, Ghana, Cameroon and South Africa have clinched spots from Africa, Korea Republic, Korea DPR and Japan earned berths from Asia and New Zealand will represent Oceania.

U.S. U-17 WNT Concacaf Qualifying Roster by Position (Club; Hometown; Caps/Goals):
GOALKEEPERS (2): Angelina Anderson (Mustang FC; Danville, Calif.; 8/0), Julia Dohle (New York City FC; Scarsdale, N.Y.; 2/0)
DEFENDERS (6): Michela Agresti (FC Stars, Swampscott, Mass.; 9/2), Talia DellaPeruta (NTH Tophat; Cumming, Ga.; 16/1), Smith Hunter (Seattle Reign Academy; Seattle, Wash.; 10/0), Makenna Morris (Bethesda SC; Germantown, Md.; 12/1), Natalia Staude (NTH Tophat; Atlanta, Ga.; 11/0), Kennedy Wesley (So Cal Blues; Rossmoor, Calif.; 28/0)
MIDFIELDERS (6): Hannah Bebar (Eclipse Select SC; Naperville, Ill.; 7/1), Croix Bethune (Concorde Fire; Alpharetta, Ga.; 18/7), Maya Doms (Davis Legacy; Davis, Calif.; 17/6), Mia Fishel (San Diego Surf; San Diego, Calif.; 19/2), Sophia Jones (San Jose Earthquakes; Menlo Park, Calif.; 9/0), Astrid Wheeler (Concorde Fire; Atlanta, Ga.; 14/1)
FORWARDS (6): Sunshine Fontes (Hawaii Rush; Wahiawa, Hawaii; 19/13), Samantha Kroeger (World Class FC; West Milford, N.J.; 3/1), Payton Linnehan (FC Stars; Douglas, Mass.; 17/6), Samantha Meza (Solar SC; Dallas, Texas; 12/2), Diana Ordoñez (FC Dallas; Prosper, Texas; 3/0), Kate Wiesner (LAFC Slammers; Monrovia, Calif.; 29/3)

ROSTER NOTES

These will be the first U.S. WNT matches at any age level played in Nicaragua.
This is the first Concacaf qualifying team for the USA in which all the players were born after the historic 1999 FIFA Women’s World Cup victory.
Defenders Talia DellaPeruta, Smith Hunter and Makenna Morris and forward Samantha Kroeger are the four players on the roster born in 2002.
All the players named to the roster have been capped at the U-17 level with Kate Wiesner (29) and Kennedy Wesley (28) the most capped and goalkeeper Julia Dohle (2) the least.
Wiesner and Wesley are in their second U-17 cycle. Both participated in qualifying for the 2016 U-17 Women’s World Cup and both played in World Cup in Jordan.
Thirteen of the 18 field players on the roster have scored in an international match, led by forward Sunshine Fontes, who has 13 goals in 19 caps. Midfielder Croix Bethune has seven goals in 18 caps. Forward Payton Linnehan and midfielder Maya Doms each have six goals in 17 caps.
Thirteen players on the roster have 10 or more U-17 caps.
The two goalkeepers on the qualifying roster are five-foot-eleven Angelina Anderson and six-foot Julia Dohle.
The players on the roster hail from ten states and 17 different youth clubs. There are six Californians on the roster, three from Northern and three from Southern, and four players from Georgia.
The roster features players from four different U.S. Soccer Development Academy clubs in the So Cal Blues, FC Stars of Massachusetts as well as Georgia’s Concorde Fire and NTH Tophat. Overall, 16 players have ties to Development Academy Clubs.
Forward Isabella D’Aquila was named to the initial World Cup qualifying roster, but was ruled out of the competition due to injury. She was replaced by forward Samantha Kroeger.
Eight players helped the USA take home the 2016 CONCACAF Girls’ U-15 Championship, the red, white and blue’s first appearance at the event: Croix Bethune, Talia DellaPeruta, Mia Fishel, Sunshine Fontes, Payton Linnehan, Samantha Meza, Makenna Morris and Natalia Staude.

2018 SCHEDULE AND RESULTS

Date Match Result Venue Competition
Jan. 15 USA vs. Venezuela W 8-0 Eckerd College; St. Petersburg, Fla. International Friendly
Jan. 18 USA vs. Venezuela W 4-0 IMG Academy; Bradenton, Fla. International Friendly
Feb. 13 USA vs. Argentina W 9-0 Estadio Jose Maria Minella; Mar de Plata; Argentina Copa Provincia de Buenos Aires
Feb. 15 USA vs. Uruguay W 4-1 Estadio Jose Maria Minella; Mar de Plata; Argentina Copa Provincia de Buenos Aires
Feb. 20 USA vs. Chile W 1-0 Estadio Jose Maria Minella; Mar de Plata; Argentina Copa Provincia de Buenos Aires
March 21 USA vs. Japan D 0-0 Premier Sports Campus; Lakewood Ranch, Fla. International Friendly
March 23 USA vs. Japan W 4-1 Premier Sports Campus; Lakewood Ranch, Fla. International Friendly
March 25 USA vs. Japan W 2-0 Premier Sports Campus; Lakewood Ranch, Fla. International Friendly

USA VS COSTA RICA NOTES

Costa Rica has drawn the USA in its group every time that it has qualified for the CONCACAF U-17 Championship (2008, 2010 and 2016).
In those three tournaments, Costa Rica has played the USA five times, thrice in pool play and twice in the knockout rounds.
The USA is 5-0-0 all-time vs. Costa Rica at the tournament.
Costa Rica served as the USA’s first-ever opponent at the tournament: a 6-0 U.S. victory in the group stage of the 2008 tournament.
Current WNT star Samantha Mewis scored the USA’s first-ever goal of the competition, in the third minute of that match.
The countries met again for the Concacaf title that year, a 4-1 USA triumph.
In 2010, the two nations once again met twice, a 10-0 victory in the group stage finale and a 6-0 win in the third-place game.
Morgan Brian and Lindsey Horan both netted three goals against Costa Rica in the tournament, while Taylor Smith scored two.
Costa Rica’s last meeting with the USA at Concacaf World Cup qualifying came in the group stage of the 2016 tournament, a 2-0 USA victory.
Costa Rica is the only non-North American country to qualify for the World Cup at this age level, finishing second in the inaugural 2008 tournament.
Almost all of Costa Rica’s 20-player roster competes domestically. Defender Andrea Capmany and forward Kyana Calvo play stateside at IMG Academy and Lonestar SC, respectively.

Costa Rica Roster (Club)
GOALKEEPERS (2): Dislania Chacón (Herediano), Fabiana Solano (AD Desampa 2000)

DEFENDERS (7): Andrea Capmany (IMG Academy/USA), Ariana Dobles (Codea), Keylin Gómez (A.Dimas Escazú), Pamela Gutiérrez (Liberia), Gipzy Prieto (A.D. Pococi), Valery Sandoval (Codea), Jeimy Umaña (ADFFC)

MIDFIELDERS (7): Alexa Aguilar (Codea); Priscilla Chinchilla (Arenal); Daniela Contreras (A.D. Dimas Escazú); Emily Flores (Suva Sports); Nicole Gómez (A.D.F.F. Coronado); Carmen Marín (Futuro Academy/CAN); María Fernanda Murillo (Morpho)

FORWARDS (4): Kyana Calvo (Lonestar SC/USA), Medolyn Guerrero (A.D. Pococi), María Paula Porras (Saprissa), María Paula Salas (Saprissa)

USA VS BERMUDA NOTES

The two countries have never met at the U-17 level and Sunday’s match will mark the first meeting between the USA and Bermuda in women’s soccer at any level.
Bermuda is making its first-ever appearance at the tournament.

Bermuda Roster (Club)
GOALKEEPERS (2): Gaiya Melakot (Berkeley), Zakhari Turner (Montverde/USA)

DEFENDERS (6): Delia Ebbin (Darlington Academy/USA); Koa Goodchild (Saltus), Zekiah Lewis (St. Johnsbury/USA), Jenna Rempel (Choate Hall/USA), Danni Watson (Saltus); Zemira Webb (Warwick Academy)

MIDFIELDERS (9): Sh’Nyah Atkinstall (Berkeley), Druw Bascome (Cedarbridge), Emily Cabral (TN Tatem Warwick), Trinae Edwards (Cedarbridge), Katelyn MederIos (BHS), Leilanni Nesbeth (Bedes/ENG), Dazarre Place (Berkeley), Jya Ratteray Smith (Berkeley), Jadae Steede Hill (Berkeley)

FORWARDS (4): Nia Christopher (John Carroll/USA), Adia Gibbons (Berkeley), Tianna Mullan (IMG Academy/USA)

USA VS CANADA NOTES

The USA and Canada have met in the knockout round of four consecutive Concacaf Women’s U-17 Championships.
The U.S. is 3-0-1 all-time against Canada at Concacaf World Cup qualifying.
The teams first met in the 2010 semifinals as Canada handed the USA its first-ever defeat at the tournament, a 5-3 loss in penalty kicks after 120 minutes of scoreless soccer.
Since then, the USA hasn’t lost to its neighbors to the North, winning three straight knockout round matches.
The teams met in the Concacaf final in both the 2012 and 2013 tournaments, 1-0 and 2-0 wins for the USA, respectively.
Last time out, the USA defeated Canada 5-0 in the semifinals of the 2016 competition to clinch World Cup qualification.
Canada is one of the most successful teams in Concacaf at this age level, compiling five top-three finishes and reaching the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup every time it has been contested.
The entirety of Canada’s 20-player roster competes domestically.
Almost half of the roster plays in the youth set-up of the Vancouver Whitecaps.

Canada Roster (Club)
GOALKEEPERS (2): Sophie Guilmette (Quebec REX/Lakeshore SC), Anna Karpenko (Ontario REX)

DEFENDERS (7): Maya Antoine (Vancouver Whitecaps FC Girls Elite BC Soccer REX), Olivia Cooke (Ontario REX), Caitlin Shaw (Vancouver Whitecaps FC Girls Elite BC Soccer REX), Elisabeth Tse (Quebec REX / Phénix des Rivières de Quebec), Julianne Vallerand (Quebec REX / Varennes SC), Sonia Walk (Ontario REX), Ariel Young (Ontario REX)

MIDFIELDERS (5): Wayny Balata (Quebec REX / Lakeshore SC), Stella Downing (Vancouver Whitecaps FC Girls Elite BC Soccer REX), Maya Ladhani (Vancouver Whitecaps FC Girls Elite BC Soccer REX), Jade Rose (Ontario REX), Aaliyah Scott (Vancouver Whitecaps FC Girls Elite BC Soccer REX)

FORWARDS (6): Teni Akindoju (Vancouver Whitecaps FC Girls Elite BC Soccer REX), Jordyn Huitema (Vancouver Whitecaps FC Girls Elite BC Soccer REX), Kaila Novak (Ontario REX), Jayde Riviere (Vancouver Whitecaps FC Girls Elite BC Soccer REX), Serita Thurton (Ontario REX), Andersen Williams (Vancouver Whitecaps FC Girls Elite BC Soccer REX)

HOW THEY GOT HERE

Costa Rica qualified for the Concacaf Championship after a first-place finish in Central American qualifying against Panama, El Salvador and Honduras.
Costa Rica went undefeated in that three-game tournament, shutting out all of its opponents and scoring an average of more than three goals per game.
Prisicila Chinchilla and María Paula Salas lead the way for Costa Rican offense, scoring three goals each in the competition.
Bermuda qualified for Nicaragua when it topped its Final Round group at Caribbean qualifying.
Nineteen participating Caribbean national teams were drawn into five groups contested across the region.
Drawn into Group C against host Saint Lucia, Antigua and Barbuda and Aruba, Bermuda went undefeated, putting up 21 goals while allowing just one.
England-based LeiLanni Nesbeth scored nine of those goals, including six in a 13-1 win over Aruba in the First Round finale.
After the First Round, Bermuda was drawn into a Final Round group alongside Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago.
A draw with T&T and a victory over Jamaica punched Bermuda’s ticket to Managua
The results also sent Bermuda to the Caribbean final, where it fell 4-1 to fellow Concacaf Championship participant Haiti.
Canada qualified automatically alongside Mexico and the USA as North American nations.

TOURNAMENT NOTES

Players born on or after Jan. 1, 2001 are eligible for this tournament and the 2018 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.
In the semifinals, third-place match and championship game at the U-17 level, there is no overtime. Matches tied at the end of regulation now go directly to penalty kicks.
Teams are allowed three substitutes per match. In knockout round games, teams will be allowed one additional substitution.
A single yellow card received in the group stage will not carry over to the knockout stage.
Two cautions received in different games in the group stage will result in a suspension for the next match.
Should teams be tied on points at the end of the group stage, the tie-breakers are as follows:
- 1. Points in games between the tied teams (head to head)
- 2. Goal differential in games between the tied teams
If two more teams are tied on those counts, the tie-breakers are as follows:
- 3. Number of goals scored in matches among tied teams
- 4. Goal difference in all group matches
- 5. Number of goals scored in all matches
- 6. Drawing of lots
At the end of the tournament, CONCACAF will present four awards: Golden Ball for most valuable player, Golden Boot for the top scorer, Golden Glove for the best goalkeeper and the Fair Play Award.

BY THE NUMBERS
0 Matches lost in regulation by the USA at this tournament
2 Birth years represented on the roster, 16 players born in 2001 and four born in 2002
3 The USA has won three of five Concacaf Women’s U-17 titles
4 Goals allowed by the USA at the Concacaf Championship, an average of 0.16 per game
6 Players from California, the most of any state
8 Players participated in the 2016 Concacaf Girls’ U-15 Championship
9 States represented on the roster
12 Different countries the USA has faced in the cycle so far (Argentina, Canada, Chile, China, England, Italy, Haiti, Japan, Mexico, Slovenia, Uruguay and Venezuela)
13 U-17 goals for forward Sunshine Fontes, the most on the team
14 Unbeaten streak that the U-17 WNT carries into World Cup qualifying
16 Youth clubs represented on the U.S. roster
16 Players on the roster with U.S. Soccer Development Academy ties
16 Games, out of 25, that the USA has scored four or more goals at the competition
20 Shutouts recorded by the USA at the tournament, out of 25 games played
25 Unbeaten streak for the U-17 WNT at Concacaf World Cup qualifying, including 23 matches won
28 Players logged minutes for the U-17s in 2018
29 U-17 WNT caps for forward Kate Wiesner, the most on the team
64 Goals scored by the U-17s, while allowing just six in the cycle thus far
147 Goals scored by the USA at this tournament, an average of 5.88 per game
514 Minutes played by defender Natalia Staude this year, the most on the team

HEAD COACH MARK CARR: Carr was named head coach for the U.S. U-17 WNT in April 2017. In the full-time position, he is responsible for overseeing all aspects of the U-17 WNT program as he prepares the team for Concacaf qualifying for the 2018 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.

Carr joined U.S. Soccer in November 2014 as a Development Coach and lead the U-15 Girls’ National Team for two-and-a-half years. Carr coached several of current U-17 WNT players at the U-15 level.
Carr lead the U-15 Girls’ National Team to its first-ever Concacaf U-15 Girls’ Championship in the USA’s first time participating in the event. The team compiled a 49-0 goal differential and shut out all seven of its opponents.
Carr came to the Federation after three years as the Girls’ Premier League Director and Technical Director for Lonestar Soccer Club in Austin, Texas. He also was active in WNT programs as a scout, running U.S. Soccer National Training Centers and assisting with U-14 GNT camps
From 2003-2011, Carr worked in the college game, first as an assistant at UCLA to current WNT head coach Jill Ellis from 2003 to 2006, then as head women’s coach at the University of San Francisco from 2007-2011
Carr’s players at USF earned 16 All-WWC selections. While at UCLA, the Bruins posted an 81-15-5 record, won four conference titles and advanced to four Final Fours.
A native of England, Carr graduated from Bournemouth University in 2001 with a B.A. in International Marketing. A decorated amateur player, Carr competed on the England School’s Representative Team (1996) and played for the Charlton Athletic Youth Team (1995-97).
Carr has a USSF National “A” License, a USSF National “Goalkeeping” License, an NSCAA Premiere Certification and an English FA Coaching Certificate.
He resides in Austin, Texas, with his wife, Caroline and two children, Ella Cate (6) and Oliver Scott (3).