U.S. U-17 Women’s National Team vying for Group B win tonight vs Mexico in World Cup Qqualifying

The U.S. Under-17 Women’s National Team has advanced to the semifinal stage of the 2012 CONCACAF U-17 Women’s Championship and will be looking to finish first in its group when it faces Mexico on Monday, May 7 (6:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. local).

With a win or a draw, the U.S. wins Group B and would then face the Group A runner-up on Thursday, May 10. Mexico would need a win against the USA to win the group stage as the U.S. holds the advantage in goal difference.

All the matches are being played on an artificial surface at the Estadio Cementos Progreso, home to popular Guatemala professional side C.S.D. Comunicaciones. All CONCACAF U-17 Women’s Championship matches are broadcast live on CONCACAF.com.

USA IN DRIVER’S SEAT FOLLOWING SECOND WIN: The U.S. is coming off a 5-0 victory against Trinidad & Tobago on Saturday that featured five different goal scorers and four second-half tallies. Summer Green had a goal and two assists, and Emily Bruder and Joanna Boyles both had a goal and an assist. Green leads the tournament with six goals, five of which came during the USA’s 10-0 victory against the Bahamas on Thursday, May 3. She now has seven goals and seven assists this year, leading the USA in both categories. The U.S. U-17 team’s plus-15 goal differential easily leads Group B ahead of Mexico (plus-8), which is coming off a 6-0 victory on Saturday against the Bahamas. The USA and Mexico have both advanced to the semifinal stage of this tournament. The tournament semifinal winners and third-place game winner qualify for the 2012 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Azerbaijan.

2012 U.S. U-17 WNT CONCACAF Championship
Group B Standings

Thursday, May 3
USA 10, Bahamas 0
Mexico 2, Trinidad & Tobago
Saturday, May 5
USA 5, Trinidad & Tobago 0
Mexico 6, Bahamas 0
Monday, May 7
Trinidad & Tobago vs. Bahamas, 4 p.m. ET
USA vs. Mexico, 6:30 p.m. ET

2012 U.S. U-17 WNT CONCACAF Championship Schedule and Results

U.S. ROSTER BY POSITION – DetailedRoster
GOALKEEPERS (2): 1-Jane Campbell (Concorde Fire South; Kennesaw, Ga.), 18-Cassie Miller (Sereno FC; Cave Creek, Ariz.)
DEFENDERS (6): 3-Brittany Basinger (FC Virginia; Purcellville, Va.), 5-Maddie Bauer (Slammers FC; Newport Beach, Calif.), 16-Mandy Freeman (Lady Renegades SC; Royal Palm Beach, Fla.), 6-Gabbi Miranda (Colorado Rush; Highlands Ranch, Colo.), 2-Lizzy Raben (Colorado Rush; Greenwood, Colo.), 20-Morgan Reid (Chelsea Ladies; Cary, N.C.)
MIDFIELDERS (5): 10-Morgan Andrews (FC Stars of Mass.; Milford, N.H.), 12-Joanna Boyles (Chelsea Ladies; Raleigh, N.C), 14-Lauren Kaskie (Heat FC; Las Vegas, Nev.), 17-Sarah Robinson (MVLA Lightning; Los Altos, Calif.), 11-Morgan Stanton (Colorado Rush; Lakewood, Colo.)
FORWARDS (7): 9-Emily Bruder (Utah Avalanche; Sandy, Utah), 8-Summer Green (Michigan Hawks; Milford, Mich.), 13-Darian Jenkins (Sparta SC; Riverton, Utah), 4-Amber Munerlyn (So Cal Blues; Corona, Calif.), 19-Toni Payne (Concorde Fire; Birmingham, Ala.), 15-Margaret Purce (Freestate Soccer; Olney, Md.), 7-Andi Sullivan (Bethesda SC; Lorton, Va.)

U.S. ROSTER NOTES

• Seven different U.S. players have scored the 15 goals for the U.S. team in this tournament. Nine different players have assists.
• The USA has out-shot its opponents 72-6 over the two games.
• Seventeen of the USA’s 20 players have seen action so far over the first two games.
• There have been zero yellow cards for either team over the USA’s first two games of the tournament, meaning (barring an ejection) all the U.S. players will be eligible for the semifinal.
• The U.S. U-17 Women have played 11 total matches so far this year, compiling a 9-0-2 record while allowing just one goal. More impressively, the U-17s have played four international matches this year against countries featuring players one and two years older than the U.S. team and have a 2-0-2 record in those games.
• Forward/midfielder Summer Green is the USA’s leading scorer during this cycle at the U-17 level with nine goals in her 16 caps. She is followed by Amber Munerlyn (5 goals, 13 caps), Andi Sullivan (5 goals, 11 caps), Emily Bruder (3 goals, 8 caps) and Margaret Purce (3 goals, 7 caps). Ten players on the roster have scored in a U-17 international, with Sarah Robinson and Joanna Boyles netting their first Y-17 international goals Saturday against Trinidad & Tobago.

USA VS. MEXICO SERIES

• In the lone meeting between the U.S. and Mexico in the CONCACAF U-17 Women’s Championship, the USA edged Mexico 1-0 on July 24, 2008, in the semifinals to book a ticket to the 2008 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.
• U.S. defender Crystal Dunn provided the heroics in that 2008 semifinal victory in Macoya, Trinidad. In the second minute of stoppage time, Dunn slotted the game-winner off of a Kristen Mewis corner kick that went to Samantha Mewis and then was redirected to Dunn for her first U-17 tally.
• Mexico U-17 head coach Leonardo Cuellar was at the helm for that 2008 match, and he currently manages Mexico’s national team women in addition to the U-17s.

BY THE NUMBERS
1 Goal allowed by the U.S. U-17 WNT in 11 matches this year
1 Game in which the USA has been shut out this year (0-0 draw with China U-20 WNT)
3 Goals per game by the U.S. U-17 WNT this year
7 Goals by Summer Green to lead the team in 2012
7 Number of teams, out of 11, that the U.S. U-17 WNT has played this year that were made up of players in an older age group; the USA is 5-0-2 in those games
25 Number of U.S. U-17 players to see action in a game this year
30 Goals scored by the U.S. U-17 WNT this year
690 Minutes played by Maddie Bauer this year in international competition, the most on the team

IN FOCUS: MEXICO
Mexican Football Federation (Federacion Mexicana de Futbal Asociacion)
Founded: 1907 (Joined FIFA in 1929)
Head Coach: Leonardo Cuellar

MEXICO ROSTER
GOALKEEPERS (2): 1-Gabriela Paz, 12-Adela Meza
DEFENDERS (7): 2-Jaquelina Rodriguez, 3-Jessica Valadez, 4-Greta Espinoza, 5-Paulina Solis, 13-Fernanda Perez, 14-Celinna Montano, 15-Natalie Rivas
MIDFIELDERS (7): 6-Michelle Gonzalez, 7-Taylor Alvarado, 8-Karla Nieto, 11-Hallie Hernandez, 16-Mariana Cadena, 17-Vivian Vega
FORWARDS (4): 9-Luz Duarte, 10-Jenny Chiu, 18-Cassandra Reyes, 19-Jessica Morales

MEXICO ROSTER NOTES

• Mexico’s U-17 team is 8-0-4 all-time in the CONCACAF U-17 Championship, with all four losses coming against either the U.S. or Canada.
• This is Mexico’s third appearance in a U-17 World Cup qualifying finals. In 2008, Mexico lost its third-place match to Canada 1-0, and in 2010 Mexico finished in second place, falling to Canada 1-0 in the championship match.
• Mexico has conceded one goal or less in nine straight matches, most recently shutting out the Bahamas 6-0 on Saturday in its second group match of the 2012 CONCACAF U-17 Women’s Championship.
• Mariana Cadena and Jessica Morales each scored two goals during Mexico’s win against the Bahamas, with Vivian Vega and Cynthia Pineda adding tallies.
• Mexico defeated Trinidad & Tobago 2-0 on Thursday, May 3, to open the 2012 CONCACAF U-17 Women’s Championship. Mexico’s goals corers from the Trinidad match were Hallie Hernandez, who is from Corona, Calif., and Luz Duarte, who is from Tucson, Ariz.
• Mexico participated in its lone FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in 2010, but failed to get past the group stage with losses to Germany (9-0) and Korea Republic (4-1) followed by a 4-0 win against South Africa.
• There are no less than 11 American players (with Mexican passports, of course) on the Mexican roster, including North Carolina recruit Jenny Chiu, who spent time with this group of American players in the U.S. National Team program early in this cycle, and Cynthia Pineda, whose brother, Victor, plays for the U.S. U-18 Men’s National Team and is in his second season with the Chicago Fire.
• Most of Mexico’s American-based players play for clubs in Southern California. Mexico’s roster includes defenders Celina Montano (Beach FC), Natalie Rivas (Real So Cal), Jessica Valdez (Eagles), midfielders Taylor Alvarado (Eagles), Hallie Hernandez (So Cal Blues), Cynthia Pineda (Chicago Fire Juniors) and Vivia Vega (Arsenal FC) and forwards Luz Duarte (Tucson Mountain Lady Jaguars), Jessica Morales (San Diego Surf) and Cassandra Reyes (Legends FC) and, as well as Chiu (El Paso Galaxy).

LAST TIME
On the field for the USA:
May 5, 2012 – Estadio Cementos Progreso – Guatemala City, Guatemala
2012 CONCACAF U-17 Women’s Championship – Group B

USA   5   Bruder 20, Sullivan 65, Robinson 67, Green 86, Boyles 90+3
TRI    0

Lineups:
USA: 1-Jane Campbell; 3-Brittany Basinger (20-Morgan Reid, 73), 5-Maddie Bauer, 16-Mandy Freeman, 6-Gabbi Miranda; 10-Morgan Andrews (capt.), 17-Sarah Robinson, 11-Morgan Stanton (12-Joanna Boyles, 79); 8-Summer Green, 7-Andi Sullivan (13-Darian Jenkins, 66), 9-Emily Bruder
Subs not used: 14-Lauren Kaskie, 15-Margaret Purce, 18-Cassie Miller, 19-Toni Payne
Not Available: 2-Lizzy Raben, 4-Amber Munerlyn
Head Coach: Albertin Montoya

TRI: 1-Lebrisca Phillip, 4-Liana Hinds (2-Dennecia Prince, 77), 5-Adeka Spence, 6-Khadisha Debesette (15-Nikkia Billouin, 60), 7-Diarra Simmons, 10-Marlique Asson, 11-Khadidra Debesette, 14-Emma Abdul, 16-Donika Murray, 17-Jonelle Warrick, 19-Anique Walker (capt.)
Subs Not Used: 8-Victoria Swift, 9-Zoe Swift, 12-Rhonda Guiseppi, 13-Shanisa Camejo, 18-Naomie Guerra, 20-Khadijah de Freitas, 21-Shantelle Christian
Head Coach: Even Pellerud

On the field for Mexico:
May 5, 2012 – Estadio Cementos Progreso – Guatemala City, Guatemala
2012 CONCACAF U-17 Women’s Championship – Group B
Mexico     6   Cadena 6, 43; Morales 8, 13; Vega 26; Pineda 79
Bahamas  0

Lineups:
MEX: 12-Adela Meza; 4-Greta Espinoza, 13-Fernanda Perez, 2-Jaquelina Rodriguez (11-Hallie Hernandez, 46), 3-Jessica Valadez, 15-Natalie Rivas, 6-Michelle Gonzalez (20-Cynthia Pineda, 58), 16-Mariana Cadena, 18-Cassandra Reyes (9-Luz Duarte, 75), 17-Vivian Vega, 19-Jessica Morales
Head Coach: Leonardo Cuellar

BAH: 1-Cori Strachan (18-Sheryl Evans, 45); 4-Shelby Green, 3-Taj Dorsett, 6-Lindsay Seymour (13-Lian Haven, 82), 16-Raunice Butler, 10-Lauren Haven, 5-Dina Ingraham, 7-Kennadi Green, 11-Tate Cuffy, 8-Clayre Saunders, 9-Akwah Thompson (12-Shekhinah Wells, 72)
Head Coach: Daria Adderley