LA MANGA, Spain (April 7, 2019) – The U.S. Under-23 Women’s National Team fell to France 3-1 in its second match of the 2019 Women’s International U-23 La Manga Tournament. Defender Tara McKeown scored the USA’s goal in the 90th minute.
The USA defeated Sweden 1-0 on April 5 and will finish the competition on April 9 against Italy. England and Norway are the other two teams in the six-country friendly competition in which every team will play three matches.
France held the run of play in the match and scored twice in four minutes early in the game. The first came in the 11th minute via Marie-Antoinette Katoto, who has several caps with the senior French National Team and who scored off the bench against the senior U.S. WNT during the teams’ January friendly in Le Havre. Clara Mateo doubled the lead in the 15th and Louise Fleury put it out of reach in the 75th.
The USA avoided the shutout with a score in the final minute of regulation as midfielder Samantha Coffey received a short pass off a corner kick, cut inside the box between two defenders and fired a ball across goal. It was partially parried by the keeper, but fell right into the path of McKeown, who finished first time into the open net. It was McKeown’s first international goal for the USA at any level. She was a member of the USA’s 2018 U-20 Women’s World Cup Team.
U.S. head coach Mark Carr brought a mixed squad of U-23 and U-20 aged players. The 20-player roster features 14 collegiate players, four players currently playing professionally in Europe and two youth club players.
Players born on or after January 1, 1996 (the age cut-off for this year’s U.S. U-23 WNT) are age-eligible for this competition. The U.S. roster features two players born in 1996, four born in 1997, six born in 1998 and three born in 1999. The remaining five players – Jordan Canniff, Payton Linnehan and forward Summer Yates, goalkeeper Meagan McClelland and defender Ella Shamburger -- all born in 2000 and 2001 – are members of the USA’s current U-20 Women’s National Team player pool.
-U.S. Under-23 Women’s National Team Match Report-
Match: U.S. Under-23 Women’s National Team vs. France
Date: April 7, 2019
Competition: La Manga Tournament
Venue: La Manga Club; La Manga, Spain
Weather: 60 degrees
Scoring Summary: 1 2 F
USA 0 1 1
FRA 2 1 3
FRA - Marie-Antoinette Katoto 11th minute
FRA – Clara Mateo 15
FRA – Louise Fleury 75
USA – Tara McKeown (Samantha Coffey) 90
Lineups:
USA: 1-Casey Murphy (capt.); 2-Julia Ashley (20-Tara McKeown, 82), 5-Alana Cook, 3-Malia Berkely, 13-Yazmeen Ryan (4-Alyssa Malonson, 64), 6-Taylor Otto (23-Brianne Folds, 64), 10-Kelcie Hedge, 10-Samantha Coffey (8-Meg Brandt, 46), 7-Abigail Kim (19-Jordan Canniff, 46), 9-Hailie Mace, 11-Summer Yates (14-Civana Kuhlmann, 69)
Subs Not Used: 12-Meagan McClelland, 17-Payton Linnehan, 21-Ella Shamburger
Head Coach: Mark Carr
FRA: 1-Mylene Chavas; 4-Hawa Cissoko (capt.) (5-Julie Marichaud, 79), 14-Elisa de Almeida, 12-Morgane Nicoli, 13-Perle Morroni (10-Lea Khelifi, 74), 3-Estelle Cascarino (7-Kelly Gago, 85), 17-Anissa Lahmari (2-Marion Romanelli, 74), 20-Clara Mateo, 8-Maureen Bigot, 9-Marie-Antoinette Katoto (11-Marie-Charlotte Leger, 79), 19-Louise Fleury
Subs Not Used: 6-Sana Daoudi, 15-Ella Palis, 16-Camille Pecharman
Head Coach: Jean-Francois Niemezcki
Statistical Summary: USA / FRA
Shots: 3 / 17
Shots on Goal: 2 / 11
Saves: 9 / 1
Corner Kicks: 4 / 8
Fouls: 2 / 4
Offside: 1 / 0
Misconduct Summary:
None
Officials
Referee: Amy Penalver Pearce
Assistant Referee: Miriam Morales Gonzalez
Assistant Referee: Isabel Moreales Gonzalez