USA blanks Nicaragua 2-0 in CONCACAF Women’s U-20 Championship

COUVA, Trinidad & Tobago (Via U.S. Soccer) – The U.S. Under-20 Women’s National Team cruised to a comfortable 2-0 win against Nicaragua in opening match for both teams at the 2018 CONCACAF Women’s U-20 Championship.

Forwards Taryn Torres and Civana Kuhlmann scored either side of halftime, respectively, for the United States which dominated the match, limiting Nicaragua to just one shot on goal while out-shooting their opponents, 19-3. The USA moved the ball well throughout the match, but at times struggled to break down Nicaragua’s bunker. The Central Americans often had 10 players behind the ball and defended with grit, which led to a 15-0 corner kick margin for the young Americans.

Nicaragua had its best chance inside the opening two minutes when U.S. goalkeeper Laurel Ivory slipped while clearing a ball with her feet and it skipped directly to a Nicaragua forward whose immediate shot from 25 yards out clipped the top of the USA’s crossbar and bounced over the goal.

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After the early scare, Nicaragua rarely crossed midfield as the Americans consistently won the ball back in midfield or Nicaragua’s defensive third. In fact, it was a pair of forced Nicaragua turnovers in midfield that the U.S. turned into goal goals. Torres finished off a Savannah DeMelo cross in the 17^th minute and Kuhlmann did the same on a Jaelin Howell feed in the 53^rd to provide the USA the final margin of victory well ahead of the full-time whistle.

In the first Group B match of the day, Mexico defeated Jamaica, 4-0, and sits in first place in the group on goal difference.

Up Next: The U-20 WNT continues the group stage of the 2018 CONCACAF Women’s U-20 Championship on Sunday, Jan. 21 against Jamaica. Kickoff from Ato Boldon Stadium in Couva, Trinidad & Tobago is set for 6:30 p.m. ET and the match can be seen live on CONCACAF YouTube Page.

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Goal Scoring Rundown:
USA – Taryn Torres (Savannah DeMelo), 17th minute: The USA turned Nicaragua over after a throw-in deep in their defensive third. DeMelo corralled the loose ball on the right wing and beat one defender before a driving run took her between two more defenders and into the right side of the Nicaragua box. Before reaching the end line, she cut the ball back across the face of goal toward the top of the six-yard box where Torres cut in front of her marker to hit a first-time shot into the lower left corner of the net. USA 1, NCA 0 [WATCH]

GOAL – Civana Kuhlmann (Jaelin Howell), 53rd minute: Great hustle by Taryn Torres forced Nicaragua to play into the teeth of the USA midfield, giving Howell the chance to close down space and strip the ball from her Nicaraguan counterpart. Advancing toward the box, Howell drew the final defender before sliding to push the ball forward to Kuhlmann who was in alone on goal. The Stanford freshman made no mistake, slotting a low shot along the ground into the far-right corner of the goal. USA 2, NCA 0 [WATCH] FINAL

NOTES:

• With the result, Jitka Klimkova wins her first ever match in CONCACAF qualifying play as U-20 WNT head coach. She took over the program in April of 2017.
• Taryn Torres’ goal was the 250^th for the USA in this tournament, which has been played in various forms since 2002.
• Torres’ goal is her second in just her fourth cap for the U.S. U-20 WNT.
• Kuhlmann’s goal is her ninth for the U-20 WNT in her 13^th
• Kuhlmann’s goal was her 7th all-time goal CONCACAF Women’s World Cup qualifying. She scored two at the 2013 CONCACAF Women’s U-17 Championship in Jamaica when she was one of the youngest players in the squad and four at the 2016 CONCACAF Women’s U-17 Championship in the Cayman Islands, including the game-winner against Mexico in the championship match.
• Torres also featured for the USA at the 2016 CONCACAF Women’s U-17 Championship.
• For four players it was their first appearance in a CONCACAF Women’s World Cup qualifying tournament.
• For 11 players, it was their first appearance in a CONCACAF Women’s U-20 Championship. Savannah DeMelo and Ashley Sanchez played in the 2016 tournament.

– U.S. Under-20 Women’s National Team Match Report –

Match: U.S. U-20 Women’s National Team vs. Nicaragua
Date: January 19, 2018
Competition: 2018 CONCACAF Women’s U-20 Championship – Group B
Venue: Ato Boldon Stadium; Couva, Trinidad
Kickoff: 5:30 p.m. ET
Attendance: 125
Weather: 79 degrees, clear

Scoring Summary:12F
USA                             1          1          2
NCA                             0          0          0

USA – Taryn Torres (Savannah DeMelo)            17^th minute
USA – Civan Kuhlmann (Jaelin Howell)               53

Lineups:
USA: 1-Laurel Ivory; 5-Isabel Rodríguez, 14-Karina Rodríguez, 6-Zoe Morse, 17-Kiara Pickett, 18-Jaelin Howell, 15-Viviana Villacorta (10-Samantha Coffey, 73), 9-Savannah DeMelo; 20-Civana Kuhlmann (16-Kelsey Turnbow, 81), 2-Ashley Sánchez (11-Abigail Kim, 64), 7-Taryn Torres
Subs not used: 3-Sophia Smith, 4-Naomi Girma, 8-Brianna Pinto, 12-Amanda McGlynn, 13-Tara McKeown
Not available: 19-Tierna Davidson
Head coach: Jitka Klimkova

NCA: 1-Alicia Norori; 3-Diana Ortega, 5-Kesly Pérez, 2-Sheyla Flores (13-Yorcelly Humphreys, 88), 17-Natalie Orellana (8-Hormyne Paiz, 72); 4-Alis Cruz, 7-Katherine Pereira; 10-Elizabeth Vega, 16-Jacklyn Gilday, 9-Shanelly Treminio (6-Gloria Bermúdez, 62); 11-Yessenia Flores
Subs not used: 12-Yahara Salmeron, 14-Ariadna Meza, 15-Alma Gutierrez, 18-Lisbeth Moreno, 19-Edy Pérez, 20-Beykel Méndez
Head coach: Elna Dixon

Stats Summary: USA / NCA
Shots: 19 / 3
Shots on Goal: 5 / 1
Saves: 1 / 2
Corner Kicks: 15 / 0
Fouls: 6 / 9
Offside: 12 / 0

Misconduct Summary:
None

Officials: 
Referee: Crystal Sobers (TRI)
Assistant Referee 1: Elizabeth Aguilar (SLV)
Assistant Referee 2: Kimberly Moreira (CRC)
4th Official: Melissa Borjas (HON)

ussoccer.com Woman of the Match: Savannah DeMelo