U.S. U-19 Women’s National Team beats England 3-0 to open La Manga Tournament
LA MANGA, SPAIN – The U.S. Under-19 Women’s National Team defeated England 3-0 to open the Women’s U-19 La Manga Tournament as midfielder Aislynn Crowder and forward Reilyn Turner scored first half goals and midfielder Isabella Cook added a late one for insurance.
The USA will also face the Under-19 sides from Netherlands (March 6) and Sweden (March 8) in what are the first matches of the year for this age group.
The first goal came after forward Dilary Heredia-Beltran earned a penalty kick when she was taken down near the left edge of the penalty box near the end line. Crowder finished the spot kick in the 29th minute to put the USA up 1-0.
Just three minutes later, the USA doubled its lead as midfielder Michelle Cooper dribbled down the right flank and played a through ball to Turner. She outpaced the defenders and slid to slip the ball past the onrushing goalkeeper.
The USA put the game away in the 86th minute as forward Quincy McMahon won the ball on the left side and dribbled to the end line before crossing a long service to the back post. It was met by the hard-running Cook, who volleyed home with the inside of her foot, high into the right corner.
The 20-player U.S. roster is made up of 14 players born in 2001 and nine players born in 2002. The age cut-off for players to participate in the 2020 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup is players born on or after Jan. 1, 2000. Five players on the roster have experience in the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in defender Michela Agresti, defender Smith Hunter, midfielder Astrid Wheeler and defender Samar Guidry, all of whom played in 2018, and forward Lia Godfrey, who was on the roster in 2016 as a 14-year-old.
The roster is a mixture of collegiate and youth club players with seven already enrolled in college. The U.S. team is being coached by Twila Kaufman, a long-time college coach who has served as an assistant for numerous U.S. Youth National Team events and is currently an assistant coach for the Houston Dash in the NWSL.
The friendly competition features 12 countries playing three games each. In addition to the USA and its three opponents, Denmark, Poland, Germany, France, Norway, Italy, Iceland and Switzerland are also participating.
-U.S. UNDER-19 WOMEN’S NATIONAL TEAM MATCH REPORT-
Match: United States U-19 Women’s National Team vs. England U-19 Women’s National Team
Date: March 4, 2020
Competition: Women’s U-19 La Manga Tournament 2020
Venue: Field G – La Manga Club Football Centre, La Manga, Murcia, Spain
Attendance: 175
Weather: 66, Sunny
Scoring Summary: 1 2 F
USA 2 1 3
ENG 0 0 0
USA – Aislynn Crowder (Penalty Kick) 29th minute
USA – Reilyn Turner (Michelle Cooper) 31
USA – Isabella Cook (Quincy McMahon) 86
Lineups:
USA: 1-Mia Justus; 2-Samantha Agresti, 3-Samar Guidry (15-Smith Hunter, 20), 4-Michela Agresti (Capt.), 5-Bria Schrotenboer, 6-Astrid Wheeler, 23-Lia Godfrey (21-Laughlin Ryan, 46), 7-Michelle Cooper (19-Quincy McMahon, 65), 8-Aislynn Crowder (16-Isabella Cook, 65), 9-Reilyn Turner (20-Diana Ordonez, 68), 11-Dilary Heredia-Beltran (24-Mackenzee Vance, 46)
Subs Not Used: 10-Madison Mercado, 12-Halle Mackiewicz, 13-Abby Allen, 14-Megan Bornkamp, 17-Skylar Enge, 18-Ellis Wheeler
Head Coach: Twila Kaufmann
ENG: 1-Frances Stenson, 4-Missy Bo Kearns (14-Aimee Everett, 76), 5-Naomi Hartley (Capt.), 6-Kiara Skeels, 8-Molly Pike, 9-Annabel Blanchard (16-Emma Bissell, 60), 10-Jessica Park, 11-Ebony Salmon, 12-Jodie Hutton (3-Beth Roberts, 76), 17-Libby Smith (19-Holly Manders, 80), 21-Melisa Filis
Subs Not Used: 7-Katie Bradley, 13-Emily Orman, 15-Ava Kuyken, 20-Abbie Roberts, 23-Maya Le Tissier, 24-Ruby Grant
Head Coach: Emma Coates
Stats Summary: USA / ENG
Shots: 6 / 5
Shots on Goal: 4 / 4
Saves: 4 / 4
Corner Kicks: 4 / 2
Fouls: 6 / 7
Offside: 1 / 3
Misconduct Summary:
ENG – Melissa Filis (caution) 29th minute
ENG – Naomi Hartley (caution) 89
Officials:
Referee: Franziska Wildfeuer (FIN)
Assistant Referee 1: Isabel Steinke (FIN)
Assistant Referee 2: Levke Scholz (FIN)
