U-20 USWNT beats Canada 4-0 to reach Concacaf Championship semifinals

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic – The U.S. Under-20 Women’s National Team cruised past Canada and into the Concacaf Championship semifinals with a 4-0 victory at Estadio Olimpico Felix Sanchez.

A brace from forward Mia Fishel and goals from midfielder Brianna Pinto and defender Kennedy Wesley helped the USA record its largest-ever victory over Canada in a U-20 qualifying match.

The U.S. now advances to an all-important semifinal matchup against host Dominican Republic. The winner will earn a berth to the 2020 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Costa Rica and Panama.

The Dominican Republic upset Jamaica 2-1 in an earlier quarterfinal match-up. Kickoff for the USA-Dominican Republic semifinal at Estadio Olimpico Felix Sanchez is set for 2 p.m. ET on Friday, March 6. The game will be broadcast live on Concacaf Go, Concacaf Facebook, Concacaf YouTube and TUDN Xtra.

U.S. head coach Laura Harvey made four changes from the starting XI that faced St. Lucia in the Round of 16. The USA dominated possession early and looked more likely to find the back of the net first, hitting the woodwork twice in the opening 30 minutes.

The missed chances did not slow the U.S. down as the young Americans pressed on and opened the scoring off a Jenna Nighswonger corner kick in the 35^th minute. The service was punched in the air by Canada goalkeeper Anna Karpenko and defender Naomi Girma headed the ball down and straight to the foot of Fishel, who flicked an overhead shot into the net for the game’s opening goal.

Moments later, the U.S. doubled its lead as Girma again created the scoring chance, this time finding Pinto all alone inside the box in the 41st minute. Fishel and Pinto have scored a combined 16 goals, the second-most of any two teammates at this tournament.

With a two-goal advantage at the break, the U.S. did not let up. In the 54th, another corner kick resulted in another goal for the USA as Wesley headed in a ball from Katelyn Duong to extend the lead to 3-0. Fishel capped off the scoring for the U.S. in the 67th minute as the forward finished a through ball from Alexa Spaanstra for her second of the game. The result means that Canada will miss consecutive U-20 Women’s World Cups for the first time. At the 2018 Concacaf Women’s U-20 Championship, Canada lost to Haiti in the third place game to miss out on the U-20 WWC in France.

Fishel’s 10 goals are good for second-most in the tournament, and while she contributed two today, the Americans showcased their depth and versatility by also nabbing two assists and goal from defenders.

The USA allowed just two total shots, one on goal, while outshooting their northern neighbor 20-2. Claudia Dickey picked up the shut-out in goal for the USA, her third of the tournament as the U.S. has yet to concede in the Dominican Republic.

Next on the Schedule: The U-20 WNT faces Dominican Republic in the semifinals on Friday, March 6 at Estadio Olimpico Felix Sanchez at 2 p.m. ET.

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Goal Scoring Rundown:
USA – Mia Fishel (Naomi Girma), 35th minute: After hitting the woodwork twice, the USA opened the scoring off a corner kick taken from the right side by Jenna Nighswonger. Canada goalkeeper Anna Karpenko punched the ball up in the air and Girma won the header off the falling ball. It bounced once before Fishel executed a round-house half-volley to sweep the ball into the net from eight yards out. USA 1, CAN 0

USA – Brianna Pinto (Naomi Girma), 41st minute: The USA’s second goal also came off a corner kick. The ball was cleared but the U.S. kept the ball inside the attacking third and found Girma in the right side of the penalty area. She could have shot but showed tremendous composure to cut a square pass into the middle where it was expertly dummied by Mia Fishel and then rolled right into the path of Pinto, who tapped it home to double the lead. USA 2, CAN 0

USA – Kennedy Wesley (Katelyn Duong), 54th minute: The USA put the game out of reach on yet another corner kick, this one from the left side and taken by Duong. She whipped a cross into the six-yard box and Wesley came slicing through to beat Karpenko to the ball, getting enough of her head on the service to re-direct it just inside the right post. USA 3, CAN 0

USA – Mia Fishel (Alexa Spaanstra), 67th minute: Alexa Spaanstra dribbled through four Canada defenders before slipping a through ball to Fishel inside the penalty area. Fishel took one touch and placed her shot to the right of an on-rushing Karpenko from 10 yards out for the USA’s fourth and final goal of the match. USA 4, CAN 0 FINAL

ADDITIONAL NOTES:

• The U.S. improves to 4-2-0 vs. Canada at this tournament and has recorded three straight wins since 2008.
• The U.S. has kept a clean sheet in five straight matches, equaling a record at this tournament. In 2014, the USA didn’t allow a single goal during the five-game Concacaf Women’s U-20 Championship.
• Mia Fishel’s ten goals are good for second-most in the tournament.
• Alexa Sapaanstra’s five assists lead the team at the tournament.
• Kennedy Wesley’s goal was her first at the U-20 level.
• Eleven players have scored for the USA at the 2020 Concacaf Women’s U-20 Championship: Mia Fishel (10), Brianna Pinto (6), Trinity Rodman (4), Summer Yates (3), Katelyn Duong, Sierra Enge, Shae Holmes, Rebecca Jarrett, Samantha Meza, Alexa Spaanstra and Kennedy Wesley.
• Twelve players have logged an assist for the U.S. at the tournament: Alexa Spaanstra (5), Trinity Rodman (4), Summer Yates (4), Katelyn Duong (3), Naomi Girma (3), Shae Holmes (2), Rebecca Jarrett (2), Maycee Bell (1), Brianna Martinez (1), Samantha Meza (1), Brianna Pinto (1), Kennedy Wesley (1).
• The result marked the USA’s 33rd shutout all-time at this tournament.

-U.S. Under-20 Women’s National Team Match Report-

Match: U.S. Under-20 Women’s National Team vs. Canada U-20 WNT
Date: March 4, 2020
Competition: 2020 Concacaf Women’s U-20 Championship – Quarterfinal
Kickoff: 3 p.m. local / 2 p.m. ET
Weather: 85 degrees, cloudy

Scoring Summary: 1 2 F
USA                          2 2 4
CAN                          0 0 0

USA – Mia Fishel (Naomi Girma) 35th minute
USA – Brianna Pinto (Naomi Girma) 41
USA – Kennedy Wesley (Katelyn Duong) 54
USA – Mia Fishel (Alexa Spaanstra) 67

Lineups:
USA: 12-Claudia Dickey, 3-Emily Mason, 5-Naomi Girma (Capt.), 15-Kennedy Wesley, 13-Shae Holmes; 10-Jenna Nighswonger, 6-Brianna Pinto, 18-Katelyn Duong (11-Sophia Smith, 55); 8-Trinity Rodman, 9-Mia Fishel, 17-Alexa Spaanstra
Subs Not Used: 1-Julia Dohle, 2-Brianna Martinez, 4-Sierra Enge, 7-Summer Yates, 14-Maycee Bell, 16-Rebecca Jarrett, 19-Samantha Meza, 20-Talia DellaPeruta
Head Coach: Laura Harvey

CAN: 1-Anna Karpenko; 2-Caleigh Boeckx, 5-Jade Rose, 9-Tanya Boychuk, 11-Kaila Novak (3-Leonie Portelance, 46), 12-Caitlin Shaw, 13-Samantha Chang (Capt.), 14-Lara Kazandijan, 16-Sonia Walk, 17-Andersen Williams ( 19-Jazmine Wilkinson, 57), 18-Wayny-Natasha Balata
Subs Not Used: 4-Marika Guay, 6-Joanne Dolezal, 7-Mya Jones, 8-Emma Regan, 10-Maya Ladhani, 15-Molly Quarry
Head Coach: Rhian Wilkinson

Stats Summary USA/ CAN:
Shots: 20 / 2
Shots on Goals: 6 / 1
Saves: 2 / 1
Corner Kicks: 4 / 1
Fouls: 7 / 14
Offside: 2 / 2

Misconduct Summary:
CAN – Leonie Portelance (caution)    68th minute
CAN – Tanya Boychuk (caution)         79

Officials:
Referee: Melissa Borjas Pastrana (HON)
Assistant Referee 1: Lesly Gutierrez (HON)
Assistant Referee 2: Ivett Santiago (CUB)
Fourth Official: Priscila Perez (MEX)