U-20 USWNT finishes perfect run through Group E at Concacaf Championship

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic – The U.S. Under-20 Women’s Youth National Team defeated Dominican Republic 7-0 to finish atop Group E at the Concacaf Women’s U-20 Championship.

Two goals from midfielder Alexis Missimo and single tallies from forward Andrea Kitahata, midfielder Talia DellaPeruta, midfielder Emily Colton and forward Simone Jackson, as well as an own goal by the Dominican Republic, helped break down a 90-minute bunker and send the USA to the Round of 16 without allowing a goal in group play.

The USA wins the group with the full nine points from three matches while Puerto Rico was runner-up with six points and Dominican Republic took the final knockout round berth with three points. Nicaragua was the only team to not advance from Group E, losing all three of its matches.

After a strong effort from the hosts to withstand the USA’s consistent attack throughout the first half, which included six saves from goalkeeper Paloma Peña, the young Americans opened the floodgates in the 33rd minute after Kitahata shook off her defender near the right side of the box with a clever step-over and curled a shot high and inside the left from 17 yards out to open the scoring.

The USA struck again almost immediately, this time with Kitahata assisting Missimo on a layoff inside the box which Missimo fired powerfully into the net from 13 yards out. Her shot clipped the bottom of the crossbar as it sailed into the goal to double the lead. Missimo added her second of the night just six minutes later, taking a touch inside the penalty area on the right side to set herself up for a low, driven shot from 17 yards out that hit the left and caromed in.

? WHAT A FINISH! Alexis Missimo!

?? @USYNT #WeBelong #CWU20 pic.twitter.com/SDRY3fYI70

— Concacaf W (@ConcacafW) March 1, 2022

Riding that momentum into the second half, the USA wasted no time adding a fourth goal as Kitahata received the ball on the left flank in the 47th minute and took on her defender, dribbling past the pressure and sending a low ball into the box which deflected off Dominican Republic defender Gabriela Marte and into her own net.

The USA added its fifth nine minutes later courtesy of a 19-yard blast from DellaPeruta that smashed off the underside of the cross bar and bounced down over the goal line.

⚽? Great goal by Talia Dellaperuta!

?? @USYNT #WeBelong #CWU20 pic.twitter.com/R676eMCzJO

— Concacaf W (@ConcacafW) March 2, 2022

In the 78th minute, on yet another nice display of attacking prowess, Colton tallied her first goal of the tournament after a cross from midfielder Olivia Moultrie near the top of the box on the left wing skimmed off a Dominican Republic defender. It found Colton, who calmly lobbed the ball over the ‘keeper and into the net from eight yards out. Jackson added the seventh and final goal in stoppage time, finishing from seven yards out following a set play.

The final result was the USA’s second consecutive 7-0 win after routing Puerto Rico by the same score last Sunday while also scoring three goals in the first half and four in the second. The USA finished the group stage outscoring its opponents 20-0 and allowed only one shot over the three games, that coming in tonight’s second half, but if flew far from the goal.

The USA will face now Suriname as the knockout stage begins with the Round of 16 on Friday, March 4 at 3 p.m. ET. Follow the U-20 WNT throughout the tournament on ussoccer.com as well as U.S. Soccer Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

GOAL SCORING RUNDOWN:

USA – Andrea Kitahata (Aidan McConnell), 33rd minute: McConnell found Kitahata’s feet with a pass to the right edge of the penalty box. Kitahata took on her defender, creating space to the inside with a clever step-over before curling her shot high and just inside the left post on a brilliant finish open the scoring. USA 1, DOM 0

USA – Alexis Missimo (Andrea Kitahata), 35th minute: Kitahata found herself inside the box on the right side and laid off the ball for Missimo in the center about 13 yards from the goal. Missimo struck the ball hard and it clipped off the crossbar and into the net. USA 2, DOM 0

USA – Alexis Missimo (Laney Rouse), 41st minute: Rouse played a pass to Missimo on the right flank and she took a touch to get into the penalty box before striking a low, hard shot off the left post and in from 17 yards. USA 3, DOM 0

USA – Own Goal (Gabriela Marte), 47th minute: Kitahata received the ball on the left flank and took on her defender, dribbling past her and sending a hard, low cross into the box which deflected off the leg of Marte as she tried to clear and flew into the net. USA 4, DOM 0

USA – Talia DellaPeruta (Gabriella Marte), 58th minute: The USA threatened with an attack inside the Dominican Republic’s box and DellaPeruta was waiting for the rebound off a blocked shot just outside the top of the box. She struck a sizzling shot from 19 yards that hit the underside of the crossbar and went in for her first goal of the tournament. USA 5, DOM 0

USA – Emily Colton, 78th minute: Olivia Moultrie sent a cross into the penalty area from just outside the box on the left. The cross skimmed off a Dominican Republic defender’s head and bounced to Colton, who lobbed a shot over the goalkeeper from eight yards out for her first goal of the tournament. USA 6, DOM 0

USA – Simone Jackson (Aidan McConnell), 90+2nd minute: Olivia Moultrie sent a cross off a free kick deep into the penalty box that McConnell met with a header at the left post to send the ball back into the middle. It bounced past several players before Jackson finished smartly from seven yards out. USA 7, DOM 0

ADDITIONAL NOTES:

• Forward Andrea Kitahata’s goal marked her fourth of the tournament, tying her with forward Avery Patterson for the team lead, and it came in her first start for the U-20 WYNT. Her assist was her second of the tournament.
• Kitahata and Patterson are currently tied for the lead in the tournament’s Golden Boot race.
• With her brace, midfielder Alexis Missimo has now scored in two consecutive matches. She also scored against Puerto Rico on Feb. 27.
• With her goal tonight, midfielder Emily Colton added a score to her three assists so far in the tournament.
• Forward Simone Jackson’s goal marked her second of the tournament in three appearances.
• Defender Aidan McConnell had two assists in the match, her first two of the tournament.
• Defender Laney Rouse recorded her first assist of the tournament, coming on Missimo’s second goal.

-U.S. UNDER-20 WOMEN’S YOUTH NATIONAL TEAM MATCH REPORT- 

Match: United States Under-20 Women’s Youth National Team vs. Dominican Republic
Date: March 1, 2022
Competition: Concacaf Women’s Under-20 Championship
Venue: Estadio Olimpico Felix Sanchez; Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Attendance: 210
Kickoff: 7 p.m. local (4 p.m. ET)
Weather: 79 degrees, breezy

Scoring Summary: 1   2   F 
USA                          3  4   7
DOM                         0  0   0