USA routs Paraguay 6-1 in FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup opener

AL ZARQA, Jordan (Via U.S. Soccer) – The U.S. Under-17 Women’s National Team defeated Paraguay 6-1, scoring twice in the first half and four times in the second to open the 2016 FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup.

Forward Civana Kuhlmann scored the first hat trick by a U.S. player in a FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, which included a crucial score just four minutes into the second half. Midfielder Frankie Tagliaferri, right back Kiara Pickett and forward Ashley Sanchez added single goals in a dominating performance from the United States.

The crowd of 2,078 saw an entertaining match from the young Americans, who moved the ball with pace and sophistication throughout the 90 minutes. Once the USA settled into the game after a nervy first few minutes, Brianna Pinto and Jaelin Howell led a U.S. midfield that controlled most of the possession and the rhythm of the game.

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The only goal given up by the USA came off a set play as Paraguay headed home a corner kick in the 54th minute.

In the first game of Group D, Japan defeated Ghana 5-0 and the reigning U-17 Women’s World Cup champions currently sit just behind the USA in the group standings based on goals scored, as both the USA and Japan won by a five-goal margin.

Goal Scoring Rundown:
USA – Frankie Tagliaferri (Brianna Pinto), 11th minute: After some early game jitters were run out by the young U.S. team, the Americans got on the board off a nice build up that saw Pinto thread a pass to Tagliaferri inside the penalty area. She took a perfect touch to her right to lose a defender and blasted her shot past the onrushing ‘keeper into the left side of the net. It was the USA’s first shot on goal of the game. USA 1, PAR 0

USA – Civana Kuhlmann (Kiara Pickett), 14th minute: The USA struck again quickly as right back Kiara Pickett ran onto a long ball down the right flank from Pinto and then nutmegged her challenging defender with a first touch towards the goal. She played a perfect cross on the ground from the edge of the penalty area to Kuhlmann near the top of the six-yard. The U.S. striker took a perfect settling touch before shooting low and just inside the left post. USA 2, PAR 0

USA – Civana Kuhlmann (Kate Wiesner), 49th minute: The USA started the second half strong, winning three corner kicks in quick succession. Paraguay managed to clear them, but could not get the ball completely out of danger after the third and left back Wisener ran onto a loose ball with a great touch to sweep the ball into the attacking third. She then slipped a pass to Kuhlmann who took another deft touch to make space for a shot, this one at the top of the penalty box, before striking a left-footer through the legs of a defender and into the right side of the net. USA 3, PAR 0

PAR – Limpia Fretes (Deisy Ojeda), 54th minute: Paraguay took a corner kick from the left that flew to the top of the six-yard box and the U.S. defense could not get to it before Fretes sent a solid header high into the left side of the net to pull one back. USA 3, PAR 1

USA – Kiara Pickett (Ashley Sanchez), 69th minute: Sanchez made a dazzling dribbling run down the left side, bringing a roar from the crowd as she beat two players before driving toward the box. She cut a pass back into the seam for Pickett, and as was the theme of the night, she took an excellent first touch to settle before driving her shot under the ‘keeper from seven years out for her first international goal. USA 4, PAR 1

USA – Ashley Sanchez (Katie Wiesner), 81st minute: As Paraguay began to lose some steam, the USA created numerous chances toward the end of the game and Sanchez bagged a well-deserved goal. She took a pass from Wiesner on the left side and cut inside towards the middle of the penalty area before spinning her right-footed shot into the lower right corner. USA 5, PAR 1

USA – Civana Kuhlmann (Lia Godfrey), 87th minute: Kuhlmann completed her hat trick in tremendous fashion with a blast from outside the box after Godfrey had done some hard work on the dribble to wriggle herself free. The 14-year-old played a square pass to Kuhlmann who turned to goal and hit a laser into the upper right corner for the final margin. USA 6, PAR 1. FINAL

Key Saves and Defensive Stops
PAR – Heidi Salas, 35th minute: After Ashley Sanchez beat three defenders inside the box to earn a point blank shot from about 10 yards out, Salas cut down the angle and knocked down the blast to keep the score at 2-0.

PAR – Heidi Salas, 78th minute:After a quick U.S. counter-attack put Civana Kuhlmann through, Salas was able to smother the ball at the feet of the onrushing U.S. forward before she could poke in a fifth U.S. goal. She would eventually get the sixth.

Next on the Schedule:The U.S. WNT will face Ghana in its second Group D match of the 2016 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup on Oct. 4 (8:55 a.m. ET; FS2) at King Abdullah II International Stadium in Amman, Jordan. The U.S. will wrap up group play against Japan on Oct. 8 at Amman International Stadium (11:55 a.m. ET; FS2). Click here for the full tournament schedule.

Additional Notes:

• The USA is 13-0-2 in 2016, having scored 47 goals while allowing 11.
• This was the USA’s first victory in a FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup since Sept. 25, 2012, in a 6-0 win against Gambia in Baku, Azerbaijan.
• The scores were Civana Kuhlmann’s 13th, 14th, and 15th international goals in 18 caps with the U-17 WNT. She also leads the team with 13 goals in 2016.
• Frankie Tagliaferri scored her 10th goal in 25 U-17 caps.
• Ashley Sanchez kept up her goal per game average, scoring her 19th international goal in her 19th U-17 cap.
• Kuhlmann’s hat trick was the first by a U.S. player in a U-17 WWC, but the fourth by a U.S. player in a youth Women’s World Cup. Sydney Leroux scored three times against Switzerland at the 2010 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Germany; Maya Hayes had a hat trick against Ghana at the 2012 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Japan; and Kelly Wilson scored three goals against Denmark at the 2002 U-19 Women’s World Championship.
• The match marks the second time the USA and Paraguay have met in the U-17 Women’s World Cup. The teams met in group play in 2008 in Hamilton, New Zealand, a 3-1 U.S. victory.
• This was the first World Cup match in the international careers of all the U.S. players that played.
• The USA made all three allowed subs in the game as Sophie Smith came on for Frankie Tagliaferri in the 67th minute and 14-year-old Lia Godfrey became the youngest player to play in a youth Women’s World Cup for the USA, coming on for Jaelin Howell in the 84th minute. Adrienne Richardson replaced Kuhlmann, who got a rousing ovation as she left the field with a few minutes left in the game.
• The match was played on an artificial turf surface at Prince Mohammed International Stadium. The USA’s next two group games will be on natural grass.
• The USA got a goal and three assists from its outside backs with Kiara Pickett scoring her first international goal while setting up Kuhlmann’s first of the game, and Kate Wiesner assisting on Kuhlmann’s second and Ashley Sanchez’ score.

2016 FIFA Women’s World Cup Standings – Group D

– U.S. U-17 Women’s National Team Match Report –

Match: U.S. U-17 Women’s National Team vs. Paraguay U-17 Women’s National Team
Date: Oct. 1, 2016
Competition: 2016 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup – Group D
Venue: Prince Mohammed International Stadium; Al Zarqa, Jordan
Kickoff: 12 p.m. ET
Attendance: 2,078
Weather: 75 degrees; clear

Scoring Summary:   1          2          F
USA                            2          4          6
PAR                            0          1          1

USA – Frankie Tagliaferri (Brianna Pinto)                              11th minute
USA – Civana Kuhlmann (Kiara Pickett)                               14
USA – Civana Kuhlmann (Kate Wiesner)                              49
PAR – Limpia Fretes (Deisy Ojeda)                                       54
USA – Kiara Pickett (Ashley Sanchez)                                  69
USA – Ashley Sanchez (Kate Wiesner)                                 81
USA – Civana Kuhlmann (Lia Godfrey)                                 87

Lineups:
USA: 1-Laurel Ivory; 4-Naomi Girma, 5-Karina Rodriguez, 9-Kiara Pickett, 11-Kate Wiesner; 7-Alex Spaanstra, 8-Briana Pinto, 18-Jaelin Howell (17-Lia Godfrey, 84), 20-Frankie Tagliaferri (3-Sophia Smith, 67); 10-Ashley Sanchez (capt.), 14-Civana Kuhlmann (19-Adrienne Richardson, 88)
Subs Not Used: 2-Jordan Canniff, 6-Emily Smith, 12-Meagan McClelland, 13-Isabel Rodriguez, 15-Kennedy Wesley, 16-Sydney Zandi, 21-Hillary Beall
Head Coach: B.J. Snow

PAR: 1-Heidi Salas; 3-Maria Vecca, 4-Daysy Bareiro, 5-Limpia Fretes, 14-Yessica Cabanas; 6-Cinthia Arevalo (20-Katia Martinez, 46), 7-Fabiola Sandoval, 8-Rosa Mino (15-Jennifer Gonzalez, 67), 13-Deisy Ojeda (16-Vanessa Arce, 46); 10-Jessica Martinez (capt.), 11-Dahiana Bogarin
Subs Not Used: 2-Dirse Tande, 9-Maria Segovia, 12-Andrea Benkenstein, 17-Graciela Martinez, 18-Natalia Villasanti, 19-Lourdes Oliveira, 21-Natasha Martinez
Head Coach: Nelson Basualdo

Stats Summary: USA / PAR
Shots: 15 / 7
Shots on Goal: 9 / 2
Saves: 1 / 3
Corner Kicks: 5 / 1
Fouls: 14 / 7
Offside: 1 / 1

Misconduct Summary:
USA – Karina Rodriguez        (caution)         59th minute

Officials:
Referee: Anastasia Pustovoitova (RUS)
Assistant Referee 1: Ekaterina Kurochkina (RUS)
Assistant Referee 2: Oleksandra Ardasheva (UKR)
4th Official: Esther Azzopardi (MLT)

Woman of the Match: Ashley Sanchez