U.S. U-17 Women’s National Team set to kickoff FIFA World Cup

U.S. Under-17 Women’s National Team
2018 FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup
Uruguay | Nov. 13 – Dec. 1

(Via U.S. Soccer) – The U.S. U-17 Women’s National Team kicks off the 2018 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Uruguay on Wed., Nov. 14 against Cameroon (12:00 p.m. ET; FS2, NBC Universo). The World Cup marks the culmination of a two-year journey, during which the USA has compiled a 23-2-6 international record. Group C play continues on Sat., Nov. 17 when the U.S. takes on reigning U-17 WWC champ Korea DPR (12:00 p.m. ET; FS2, Telemundo Deportes App and TelemundoDeportes.com and wraps up on Wed., Nov. 21 vs. European runner-up Germany (3:00 p.m. ET; FS2, Telemundo Deportes App and TelemundoDeportes.com).

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The USA’s first two games will be played in Colonia del Sacramento at Estadio Alberto Suppici, while the final game is slated for Estadio Charrua in the capital of Montevideo. All of the tournament’s matches are set to be played in three small venues across Uruguay, in southeastern South America. Follow the U-17 WNT throughout the tournament on ussoccer.com, Facebook, Twitter (@ussoccer_ynt) and Instagram (@ussoccer_ynt).

GROUP C SCHEDULE – USA

WATCH THE FIFA U-17 WWC: All three of the USA’s group stage matches will be broadcast live on Fox Sports 2. Following pool play, all knockout round games will also be broadcast live on FS2. Matches are also available to be streamed on the Fox Sports App.

The USA’s matches will be broadcast in Spanish on Telemundo platforms. The opener against Cameroon will be available on NBC Universo, while the other two group stage games are set to be streamed live on the Telemundo Deportes App and TelemundoDeportes.com.

HOW WE GOT HERE: The USA punched its World Cup ticket after a wild ride at the Concacaf Women’s U-17 Championship. It opened the tournament in Managua, Nicaragua with a strong 4-0 win over Bermuda on April 20, but as the U-17s prepared for their second group stage game, Concacaf announced that the tournament would be suspended indefinitely due to civil unrest in the host country.

The competition wouldn’t resume until 46 days later in Bradenton, Fla, and the USA picked up where it left off with a 10-0 win over Bermuda and a battle of a 1-0 victory over Canada in the final group stage game.

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With a World Cup berth in the balance in the semifinal, the USA faced its first deficit of the tournament when Haiti struck first. The U.S. responded with three unanswered goals from Sunshine Fontes and Mia Fishel to boost the team to a 3-2 victory. Facing Mexico in the final, the teams traded blows before Fontes equalized just after the break and Maya Doms netted the game-winner off of a set-piece in the 76th minute.

RUN-UP TO URUGUAY: The USA brings a wealth of international experience into the World Cup, putting together a 23-2-6 record against 16 different national teams. Prior to the Concacaf Championship, the USA took home tournament titles at the 2017 Torneo delle Nazioni in Italy and Slovenia and the 2018 Copa Provincia de Buenos Aires in Argentina, as well as a runner-up finish at the 2017 U-16 CFA international Women’s Youth Football Tournament. Since World Cup qualifying, the USA has played five international games against Korea Republic, Colombia, Mexico and England.

REPRESENTING THE RED, WHITE AND BLUE: Head coach Mark Carr has named a deeply-talented roster for the U-17 WWC. Sixteen participated in last year’s inaugural season of the U.S. Soccer Girls’ Development Academy. Twelve members of the roster are currently high school seniors, eight are juniors and one is a sophomore.

Players born on or after Jan. 1, 2001 are eligible for the 2018 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup. Carr selected players from three birth years: 15 born in 2001, five born in 2002 and one born in 2003. The lone player born in 2003, forward Trinity Byars, is age-eligible for the 2020 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup. Fifteen helped the USA earn its World Cup berth and take home the regional title at the 2018 Concacaf Women’s U-17 Championship. Jordan Canniff is the roster’s lone World Cup veteran. The forward represented the USA at the 2016 tournament in Jordan and completed an impressive comeback from injury to make a late push for a spot on the roster for Uruguay.

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SUNSHINE SCORES: Forward Sunshine Fontes enters the tournament as the all-time leading scorer in U.S. U-17 WNT history with 22 career goals. The first player from Hawaii to make a youth World Cup roster, Fontes has been on a tear in 2018, tallying 20 goals in 17 matches. Her run features five multiple-goal games including four-goal frenzies against Venezuela and Argentina to start the year.

FOUR YEAR JOURNEY: The core of this roster has been together for four years: the current 2017-18 Under-17 cycle, as well as the 2015-16 Under-15 Girls’ National Team cycle. This age group formed the nucleus of the first-ever U.S. team to compete at the Concacaf Girls’ U-15 Championship in 2016. Under current U-17 WNT head coach Mark Carr, the U-15s put together an incredible run to the tournament title, not allowing a single goal in their seven games and scoring 49. Midfielder Mia Fishel took home the Golden Ball as the competition’s best player, while forward Payton Linnehan won the Golden Boot as its leading goal scorer. Talia DellaPeruta, Sunshine Fontes, Makenna Morris, Samantha Meza, Lindsey Romig and Natalia Staude also played key roles in helping the USA to its first confederation title at the U-15 level.

SIXTEEN TEAMS, ONE CHAMPION: This year marks the sixth edition of the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup. The biennial competition began in 2008 following the success of the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup, which began in 2002 as FIFA’s first world championship for youth women’s players. Sixteen teams have qualified for the U-17 WWC through continental competitions and have been drawn into four groups. The top two finishers in each group will advance to the quarterfinals. From there, it’s a knockout round bracket to the tournament final.

U-17 WWC HISTORY: The USA has qualified for four of six FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cups. In the inaugural tournament, the U.S. narrowly made it out of a competitive group before a run to the final with a team starring current WNT mainstays Morgan Brian, Crystal Dunn and Samantha Mewis. Despite taking an early lead in the championship game and holding it until late in regulation, the U.S. fell in overtime to Korea DPR.

In 2012, the USA did not lose a match in group play but was eliminated from another difficult group on the goal-differential tiebreaker. The two advancing teams, Korea DPR and France, went on to meet in the tournament final. The 2016 edition saw the USA sent home in the final group stage match after a comeback effort from Japan, who finished as tournament runner-up. The U.S. didn’t qualify for the World Cup in 2010 and 2014, despite outscoring opponents 62-1 during the World Cup qualifying campaigns for those tournaments. Overall, the USA has outscored its qualifying opponents 168-9.

2018 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup Roster by Position (Club; Hometown; U-17 Caps/Goals)

GOALKEEPERS (3): Angelina Anderson (Mustang Soccer Club; Danville, Calif.; 14/0), Julia Dohle (New York City FC; Scarsdale, N.Y.; 5/0), Lindsey Romig (IMG Academy; Midlothian, Va.; 9/0)
DEFENDERS (6): Michela Agresti (FC Stars; Swampscott, Mass.; 16/2), Talia DellaPeruta (Tophat; Cumming, Ga.; 24/1), Samar Guidry (FC Dallas; McKinney, Texas; 4/0), Smith Hunter (Reign Academy; Seattle, Wash.; 15/0), Makenna Morris (Bethesda SC; Germantown, Md.; 18/3), Natalia Staude (Tophat; Atlanta, Ga.; 18/0)
MIDFIELDERS (5): Hannah Bebar (Eclipse Select SC; Naperville, Ill.; 12/2), Maya Doms (Davis Legacy Soccer Club; Davis, Calif.; 26/11), Mia Fishel (San Diego Surf; San Diego, Calif.; 26/5), Sophia Jones (San Jose Earthquakes; Menlo Park, Calif.; 16/1), Astrid Wheeler (Concorde Fire; Atlanta, Ga.; 20/2)
FORWARDS (7): Trinity Byars (Solar Soccer Club; Richardson, Texas; 3/0), Jordan Canniff (Washington Spirit Academy – Maryland; California, Md.; 25/9), Isabella D’Aquila (So Cal Blues; Mission Viejo, Calif.; 14/9), Sunshine Fontes (Hawaii Rush; Wahiawa, Hawaii; 29/22), Payton Linnehan (FC Stars; Douglas, Mass.; 22/8), Samantha Meza (Solar Soccer Club; Dallas, Texas; 19/2); Trinity Rodman (So Cal Blues; Laguna Niguel, Calif.; 6/2)

ROSTER NOTES

• This will be the first World Cup as U.S. head coach for Carr, who took over the program in April 2016. He has coached this age group of players for almost four years, overseeing the Under-15 Girls’ National Team cycle from 2014-15 before taking the reins of the U-17 WNT.
• Under his direction, the U-15 GNT took home the Concacaf title in 2016, its first participation in the tournament.
• Eight players on the World Cup roster helped the USA win the 2016 U-15 Girls’ Concacaf Championship: Talia DellaPeruta, Mia Fishel, Sunshine Fontes, Payton Linnehan, Samantha Meza, Makenna Morris, Lindsey Romig and Natalia Staude.
• Of the 21 players on the roster, 12 are currently high school seniors, eight are in the middle of junior year and one, Trinity Byars, is a sophomore.
• Born in 2003, Byars is the lone player age-eligible for the 2020 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.
• Midfielder Sophia Jones took home U.S. Soccer Development Academy West Conference Player of the Year honors at the U-16/17 level last season.
• Jones, alongside goalkeeper Julia Dohle and defenders Smith Hunter and Natalia Staude earned Academy Conference Best XI honors at the U-16/17 level last season.
• Forwards Trinity Byars and Samantha Meza, as well as midfielder Mia Fishel, earned Academy Conference Best XI honors playing up an age group at the U-18/19 level last season.
• Every player on the roster has been capped at the U-17 level, led by Fontes (29), Doms (26), Fishel (26) and Canniff (25).
• Behind Fontes’ 22 international goals, Doms has netted 11 times for the U-17s, while Canniff and forward Isabella D’Aquila have both added nine goals. Fourteen of the roster’s 18 field players have scored for the USA at this level.
• Fifteen players helped the team earn its World Cup berth and win the confederation title at the 2018 Concacaf Women’s U-17 Championship: Michela Agresti, Angelina Anderson, Hannah Bebar, Talia DellaPeruta, Julia Dohle, Maya Doms, Mia Fishel, Sunshine Fontes, Smith Hunter, Sophia Jones, Payton Linnehan, Samantha Meza, Makenna Morris, Natalia Staude and Astrid Wheeler. Forward Isabella D’Aquila was named to the initial qualifying roster but was replaced before the tournament began due to injury.
• Anderson won the Golden Glove at World Cup qualifying as the competition’s best ‘keeper and Fontes tied for the Golden Boot with five goals while they were also named to the tournament Best XI alongside Jones and Meza.
• The 21 players on the roster come from 10 different states. Six hail from California, three each come from Georgia and Texas, while two each come from Massachusetts and Maryland. The roster also features players from Hawaii, Illinois, New York, Virginia and Washington.
• Seventeen youth clubs are represented on the roster. Four clubs have two players that will represent the USA in Uruguay: FC Stars (Lancaster, Mass.), Tophat (Atlanta, Ga.), So Cal Blues (San Juan Capistrano, Calif.) and Solar Soccer Club (Dallas, Texas).
• Nineteen players are committed to play at 13 different colleges. Penn State (three), UCLA (three), Harvard (two) and Stanford (two) are the only schools with multiple commits on the roster.
• The USA lost three of its most experienced players to ACL injuries in the run up to this tournament, all veterans of the 2016 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup. The U.S. will be without team leaders and defenders Kate Wiesner (34 caps) and Kennedy Wesley (32 caps), as well as forward Lia Godfrey (12 caps). The USA also lost Croix Bethune, who had been a regular call-up during the cycle, to an ACL injury during World Cup qualifying.

USA VS. CAMEROON

• The USA’s World Cup opener will mark the first meeting between the USA and Cameroon in women’s soccer at any level.
• Cameroon is making its second appearance at the U-17 WWC. At its first appearance in 2016, the African nation finished last in Group B, dropping three tight matches.
• The USA is 1-1-0 all-time against African teams at the U-17 Women’s World Cup.
• The Cameroon roster features players from three birth years: seven born in 2001, 12 born in 2002 and two born in 2003.
• Four players return from the 2016 U-17 WWC: forwards Natacha Elam, Viviane Mefire, Michelle Moumazim and Moussa Zouwairatou. Moumazim and Zouwairatou were listed as defenders in Jordan, but have now switched to forward.
• All 21 players compete domestically in Cameroon for 12 different clubs, led by five players each from Eclair FC de Sa’a and Amazone Fap de Yaounde.
• The 21 players come from clubs in seven cities across Cameroon, with the most hailing from Yaounde, the country’s capital and second-largest city.
• Head coach Stephane Ndzana will coach his first World Cup with Les Lionnes, taking over after the 2016 U-17 WWC.

Cameroon – 2018 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup Roster by Position (Club)
GOALKEEPERS (3): 21-Pharelle Karis (Eclair FC de Saa), 15-Armelle Maffo (Eclair FC de Saa), 1-Olga Ngo Esse (Lourves Minproff de Yaounde)
DEFENDERS (7): 13-Jennifer Aboudi (Eclair FC de Saa), 18-Vanessa Kale (African Women’s Association Yaounde), 7-Alice Kameni (AS Green City Filles de Yaounde), 9-Elise Ndome (Caiman de Douala), 12-Julie Nke (Amazone Fap de Yaounde), 3-Diane Sindjie (Amazone Fap de Yaounde), 8-Brenda Tabe (Lekie Football Filles),
MIDFIELDERS (4): 10-Fadimatou Aretouyap (Oumi Filles de Koutaba), 2-Florence Fanta (ASFF du Diamaré de Maroua), 15-Armelle Maffo (Eclair FC de Saa), 14-Henriette Monkam (Amazone Fap de Yaounde),
FORWARDS (7): 5-Natacha Elam (Eclair FC de Saa), 6-Viviane Mefire (Canon de Yaounde), 11-Marie Ngah (Amazone Fap de Yaounde), 19-Thienny Nkoumou (Amazone Fap de Yaounde), 20-Michelle Moumazim (Panthère Security Filles de Garoua) 4-Claudia Voulania (ASFF du Diamaré de Maroua), 17-Moussa Zouwairatou (Vent du Nord de Garoua)

HOW THEY GOT HERE

• Cameroon qualified for the World Cup as one of the three teams from the 2018 African U-17 Women’s World Cup Qualifying Tournament.
• Entering in the 12-team first round, Cameroon breezed by Algeria, winning 4-0 on the road and 7-0 at home
• Facing perennial women’s soccer power Nigeria in the second round with a World Cup berth on the line, Cameroon drew 2-2 in the opening leg on the road.
• The nations drew 1-1 in Cameroon two weeks later, and Cameroon punched its World Cup ticket on the away goals tiebreaker.
• Defender Alice Kameni and forward Marie Ngah led the team in goals during qualifying with five each. They scored in both rounds, and combined for the two crucial away goals on the road against Nigeria.
• It marked the first time Nigeria failed to qualify for the WWC at any age level.

TOURNAMENT NOTES

• Players born on or after Jan. 1, 2001 are eligible for this tournament.
• Single yellow cards will be absolved after the quarterfinal round.
• Two cautions received during two different matches will result in suspension for the following match.
• If a player is sent off as a result of a direct or indirect red card, she will be suspended for the following match.
• Should teams be tied on points at the end of the group stage, the tie-breakers are as follows:
  a) greatest number of points obtained in all group matches
  b) goal difference in all matches
  c) greatest number of goals scored
• If two or more teams are still tied on the basis of the first three criteria, the ranking will be determined as follows:
  d) greatest number of points obtained in the group matches between the teams concerned
  e) goal difference resulting from the group matches between the teams concerned
  f) greatest number of goals scored in all group matches between the teams concerned
  g) FIFA Fair Play points
  h) drawing of lots
• At the end of the tournament, FIFA will present several awards. The Golden, Silver and Bronze Boot will be awarded to the three players with the highest numbers of goals scored, with number of assists serving as a tiebreaker.
• The Golden, Silver and Bronze Ball will be awarded to the best players of the tournament. The FIFA Technical Study Group will select a short list after the semifinals.
• The Golden Glove will be awarded to the top goalkeeper in the tournament, as selected by the FIFA Technical Study Group.
• The tournament’s official slogan is “Same game, same emotion,” representing that football of any level or gender unites through unforgettable moments and will inspire future generations.
• The official emblem represents Uruguay, as it features the sun with a human face and four blue lines to depict the nation’s flag, a distinct red Uruguayan Ceiba tree and a drummer playing the repinique drum, used in traditional Uruguayan Candombe music.
• Capi, an anthropomorphic capybara, serves as the official tournament mascot. She’s a 17-year-old soccer player who captains her team with a warm smile on her face. “Capi” is short for both “capybara” and “capitan.” Capybaras are the world’s largest rodent, and can be found in most of South America.

BY THE NUMBERS

3          Birth years represented on the USA roster: 2001, 2002 and 2003.
3          Games that the USA has lost in regulation at this tournament
4          Appearances at the U-17 WWC all-time for the USA
6          Players hail from California, the most of the 10 states represented on the roster
6          Players called by then-head coach Mark Carr to the first camp of the 2015-16 U-15 Girls’ National Team cycle, the start of a four-year journey to this World Cup: Jordan Canniff, Isabella D’Aquila, Julia Dohle, Samantha Meza, Makenna Morris and Natalia Staude
8          Countries that the USA has taken on at the U-17 WWC. The U.S. has played France, Japan, Korea DPR and Paraguay twice each.
8          Players helped the U.S. take home the 2016 Concacaf U-15 Girls’ Championship in the USA’s first-ever participation in the event
10        Players appeared in the first camp of the U-17 WNT cycle, the Torneo delle Nazioni in Italy and Slovenia in April 2017: Jordan Canniff, Talia DellaPeruta, Maya Doms, Mia Fishel, Sunshine Fontes, Payton Linnehan, Samantha Meza, Makenna Morris, Lindsey Romig and Astrid Wheeler
12        Games played at the U-17 WWC all-time by the U.S.
15        Players return from the USA roster that took home the 2018 Concacaf Women’s U-17 Championship
15        Shutouts put together by the U-17 WNT during the 2017-18 cycle
16        National Teams that the U-17s have faced this cycle: Argentina, Bermuda, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, England, Haiti, Italy, Japan, Korea Republic, Mexico, Slovenia, Uruguay and Venezuela
17        Youth soccer clubs represented on the roster.  Four clubs have two players that will represent the USA in Uruguay: FC Stars (Lancaster, Mass.), Tophat (Atlanta, Ga.), So Cal Blues (San Juan Capistrano, Calif.) and Solar Soccer Club (Dallas, Texas).
19        Players are already committed to top colleges across the country, led by three each bound for Penn State and UCLA
22        Career goals for Sunshine Fontes at this level, the most in U-17 WNT program history
26        Players have scored for the U-17 WNT during the 2017-18 cycle
29        Goals scored by the USA all-time at this tournament
29        Caps for Sunshine Fontes, the most on the roster
51        Players have appeared for the U-17 WNT during the 2017-18 cycle
1121    Played by defender Natalia Staude this year, the most on the team

MORE ON THE U-17 WNT

Next Woman Up: U.S. U-17 WNT Rallies After Injuries
Mark Carr – Developing the Future, presented by Liberty Mutual Insurance
U-17 WWC Brings Four-Year Journey to a Close
U-17 WNT Rides Wild Roller Coaster to 2018 World Cup
Smith Hunter: Work Ethic + Talent = Dream Fulfilled
Patience a Virtue for U-17 WNT GK Julia Dohle
From Hawaii, Sunshine Fontes Has Traveled Many Miles, But She’s Just Getting Started

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 the 2018 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.

• During the current 2017-18 U-17 WNT cycle, Carr has led the team to a 23-2-6 international record. In June, he guided the USA to the 2018 Concacaf Women’s U-17 Championship.
• 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 that 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).