U-20 USWNT begins World Cup qualifying campaign with 6-0 win over Panama

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic – The U.S. Under-20 Women’s Youth National Team kicked off its World Cup qualifying campaign with a 6-0 win against Panama at the 2023 Concacaf U-20 Women’s Championship.

Team captain Ally Sentnor drew three penalty kicks in the match and converted two of them, while forward Jordynn Dudley, forward Kat Rader, midfielder Lauren Martinho and midfielder Ally Lemos also scored for the USA. Goalkeeper Teagan Wy needed to make only a single save to keep the clean sheet and help the USA take all three points from its opening match.

Although the game had to be delayed two days due to inclement weather over the Caribbean island on what was supposed to be the first day of the tournament, the schedule change did not affect a U.S. squad that started only three players with a previous U-20 cap. The young Americans got out to a lightening quick start when Dudley headed home just 25 seconds into the match for what was likely the fastest goal in Concacaf U-20 Women’s Championship history.

It took the U.S. nearly the rest of the first half to score again, but the team was not without its opportunities throughout the interim, generating seven shots from inside the box, including five on goal. The pressure finally paid off in the 39^th minute when Sentnor ran onto a pass in the right side of the penalty box, took a touch past Panama goalkeeper Alejandra Garay and was chopped down. Garay guessed correctly on the ensuing penalty shot, but Sentnor’s perfectly placed shot into the corner got the better of her.

Rader scored four minutes later when she finished a rebound of a shot from the top of the penalty box by Savannah King to put the U.S. up 3-0 heading into halftime.

After the break, Sentnor picked up right where things left off in the first half, earning her second penalty kick and once again beating Garay with a precise shot into the corner, this time in the 49^th. That goal made it 4-0 and was the 300^th tally for the USA in Concacaf U-20 women’s competition.

On the hour mark, U.S. head coach Tracey Kevins made a trio of substitutions, one of whom, midfielder Lauren Martinho, scored the USA’s fifth goal after being on the field for only 116 seconds. She finished from close range after the USA worked the ball down the left side, creating chaos inside the Panama penalty area.

Sentnor then took her final bow of the night. After earning the USA a third penalty kick opportunity in the 69^th minute, she subbed out and watched as teammate Ally Lemos buried the spot kick for the final goal of the match, cementing the 6-0 scoreline.

With the big win, the USA tops Group A with three points and a plus-6 goal difference. Canada sits second with three points from its 4-0 win against Jamaica earlier in the day.

The game included several VAR checks, one which awarded a penalty kick to Sentnor, one which correctly erased an early goal from midfielder Jasmine Aikey and another that reversed a red card on Panama goalkeeper Garay, who had come out of her area to stuff a Dudley breakaway. While she did touch the ball with her hand outside the box, it was after she had saved the shot with her legs, and was thus given a yellow card and allowed to stay in the match.

The Americans face Jamaica in their next match on Sunday, May 28 (6 p.m. ET; FS2) and close out Group A play on Tuesday, May 30 against Canada.