USA tops Mexico 3-0 to capture 2024 Concacaf Girls’ U-15 Championship title

ALAJUELA, Costa Rica – The U.S. Under-15 Women’s Youth National Team won its fourth consecutive Concacaf Girls’ U-15 Championship with a dominating 3-0 victory over Mexico in the title game.

This year marks the fifth Concacaf tournament for this age group and the U.S. has won all four Concacaf Girls’ U-15 Championships in which it has participated, winning the title in 2016, 2018, 2022 and now 2024.

Midfielder and team captain Caroline Swann, who scored twice in the tournament, won the Golden Ball as the best player in the competition while forward Carolina Reyna won the Golden Boot after leading the USA in scoring with six goals over the five matches. Eleven different players scored for the USA in the tournament, including Kendall Conway with five goals.

The USA outscored its three group opponents 27-1, then beat Canada in penalty kicks in the semifinal to advance to the final against Mexico.

The USA outshot its southern neighbors 20-8 while scoring one goal in the first half and two in the second in the 70-minute match.

The first goal came in the 14th minute as midfielder Loradana Paletta, the USA’s youngest player, fed Reyna at the top of the six-yard box. Reyna took a shot, but the ball hit a defender and bounced to wide-open midfielder Mia Corona, who collected in the left side of the penalty area, took a nice touch inside to evade a defender and drilled her shot just inside the left post. It was Corona’s second goal of the tournament.

The USA doubled the lead and clinched the championship in the 65th minute as Conway raced down the right flank, rode a Mexican tackle to burst free and sent a cross on the ground into the middle across the top of the six-yard box. Forward Mak Whitham timed her run perfectly and first-timed her shot into the lower right corner. It was Whitham’s third goal of the tournament despite missing the first two matches while on duty with NY/NJ Gotham FC, which recently made her the youngest-ever signing in the NWSL.

The USA added one more score deep into stoppage time off a corner kick from the left side that Conway sent to the near post. The Mexican goalkeeper misplayed the cross and after a scramble in front of the net, defender Meila Brewer poked the ball into the net from close range. It was the center back’s second goal of the tournament.

– U.S. U-15 Women’s Youth National Team Match Report –

Match: United States U-15 Women’s Youth National Team vs. Mexico U-15 Women’s National Team
Date: August 11, 2024
Competition: Concacaf Girls’ U-15 Championship
Venue: Proyecto Gol Ruta Nacional Secundaria – Field 3; Alajuela, Costa Rica
Kickoff: 11 a.m. local (1 p.m. ET)
Attendance: 275
Weather: 83, sunny/windy

Lineups:
USA: 12-Ella McNeal (1-Anne Fowler, 36); 2-Alex Han (13-Bristol Kersh), 18-Meila Brewer, 5-Elena Vera, 3-Taylor Morrell (15-Chloe Miller, 36); 4-Loradana Paletta (10-Deus Stanislaus, 46), 16-Caroline Swann (Capt.), 8-Mia Corona (6-Kendall Conway, 36); 7-Maddie DiMaria (11-KK Ream, 60), 17-Amari Manning (9-Mak Whitham, 36), 14-Carolina Reyna
Subs not used: None
Head Coach: Ciara Crinion

MEX: 12-Emiley Rios; 14-Angellinne Abellana, 5-Vanessa Paredes, 2-Ashley Rodriguez (4-Valeria Figueroa, 34), 17-Fernanda Monroy (16-Shaddai Nunez, 50); 10-Dafne Sanchez (Capt.), 3-Stella Barajas, 7-Citlalli Reyes; 18-Kemberly Garcia (9-Elihanna Gallegos, 62), 13-Evelyn Contreras, 11-Valeria Vazquez
Subs not used: 1-Camila Haro, 6-Camila Campos, 8-Itsi Prado, 15-Liliana Rubio
Head Coach: Jimena Rojas

Stats Summary: USA / MEX
Shots: 20 / 8
Shots on Goal: 17 / 7
Saves: 7 / 14
Corner Kicks: 4 / 3
Fouls: 13 / 5
Offside: 2 / 0

Misconduct Summary:
USA – Deus Stanislaus (Caution) 67th minute
MEX – Shaddai Nunez (Caution) 70+3

Officials:
Referee: Andrew Samuel (TRI)
Assistant Referee 1: Katherine Prescod (PAN)
Assistant Referee 2: Abigail Mckenzie (BRB)
Fourth Official: Nathalya Williams (TRI)
Fifth Official: Natasha Trott (BER)