U-20 USWNT Continues World Cup Qualifying vs. Host Dominican Republic

USA OFF ON THE RIGHT FOOT: The U-20 WNT’s World Cup qualifying campaign got off to a roaring start with a 9-0 victory against Cuba. An explosive six-goal first half was highlighted by forward Mia Fishel’s four goals, which tied a U-20 WNT record for goals in a single match. The 2019 U.S. Soccer Young Female Player of the Year, Brianna Pinto, also added a brace, while Alexa Spaanstra and substitutes Summer Yates and Samantha Meza notched goals off the bench. Forward Trinity Rodman served as a lethal distributor on the day, picking up four assists as she sent numerous dangerous crosses into the penalty box. In her first U-20 WNT appearance, goalkeeper Claudia Dickey kept a clean sheet, while the U.S. defense didn’t allow Cuba a single shot on goal.

RECORD CHASING: With her four goals in the first half, Fishel tied a U-20 WNT record for goals in a single match. Previously, Kelly Wilson, Lindsay Tarpley and Heather O'Reilly put together four-goal performances as U-19s during World Cup Qualifying in 2002, while Kia McNeil (2004) netted four at the 2004 Concacaf Women’s U-20 Championship. Civana Kuhlmann scored four times for the U-20 WNT in a 2017 international friendly vs. Finland.

Also of note, Pinto picked up her 33rd U-20 WNT cap, good for eighth all-time. With her next appearance, the midfielder will move into a tie for sixth as she moves closer to Maya Hayes’ record of 43 U-20 appearances.

HIGH-FLYING HOME START: Host Dominican Republic gave its fans something to cheer about in the second Group C match of the day, rocking Honduras 7-0. The home squad got on the board in just the fourth minute and kept racking up goals, boosted by braces from Liliane Clase and Alissa Oviedo.

2020 Concacaf Women’s U-20 Championship Roster by Position (College or Club; Hometown; U-20 Caps/Goals)

GOALKEEPERS (2): 1-Claudia Dickey (UNC; Charlotte, N.C.; 1/0), 12-Julia Dohle (Penn State; Scarsdale, N.Y.; 6/0)

DEFENDERS (7): 14-Maycee Bell (UNC; Wichita, Kan.; 4/1), 4-Sierra Enge (Stanford; Cardiff, Calif.; 0/0), 5-Naomi Girma (Stanford; San Jose, Calif.; 26/0), 13-Shae Holmes (Washington; Highlands Ranch, Colo.; 3/0), 2-Brianna Martinez (Notre Dame; Albuquerque, N.M.; 5/0), 3-Emily Mason (PDA; Flemington, N.J.; 2/0), 15-Kennedy Wesley (Stanford; Rossmoor, Calif.; 1/0)

MIDFIELDERS (6): 20-Talia DellaPeruta (Köln/GER; Cumming, Ga.; 5/0), 18-Katelyn Duong (Minnesota; Portland, Ore.; 4/0), 10-Jenna Nighswonger (Florida State; Huntington Beach, Calif.; 5/1), 6-Brianna Pinto (UNC; Durham, N.C.; 33/6), 17-Alexa Spaanstra (Virginia; Brighton, Mich.; 14/3), 7-Summer Yates (Washington; Pasco, Wash.; 5/3) 

FORWARDS (5): 9-Mia Fishel (UCLA; San Diego, Calif.; 1/4), 16-Rebecca Jarrett (Virginia; Clifton, N.J.; 5/0), 19-Samantha Meza (Solar Soccer Club; Dallas, Texas; 8/2), 8-Trinity Rodman (SoCal Blues SC; Newport Beach, Calif.; 3/1), 11-Sophia Smith (Portland Thorns; Highlands Ranch, Colo.; 27/23)  

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC ROSTER (CLUB/COLLEGE):

GOALKEEPERS (2): 1-Claudia Torres (University of Bridgeport/USA), 12-Nayelis Lopez (Academia 5 de Abril)

DEFENDERS (6): 13-Nadia Colon (Unattached), 14-Giovanna Dionicio (Yale/USA), 4-Gabriela Marte (Penn Fusion Soccer Academy/USA), 20-Alexa Pacheco (Delfines del Este FC), 2-Lynette Ureña (Delaware State/USA), 6-Alicia Victoria (Broward College/USA)

MIDFIELDERS (4): 8-Nicole de Jesus (Universidad Nacional Pedro Henriquez Ureña), 5-Brieana Hallo (Coastal Atlantic FC/USA), 3-Carmen Lorenzo (Academia 5 de Abril), 10-Marianelys Perez (Academia 5 de Abril)

FORWARDS (8): 7-Mia Asenjo (Susa FC/USA), 16-Dahien Cabrera (Cibao FC), 19-Lilian Clase (Delfines del Este FC), 15-Stefany Espinal (Cibao FC), 9-Kristina Garcia (Unattached), 11-Alyssa Oviedo (University of Vermont/USA), 18-Jazlyn Oviedo (Unattached), 17-Ana Santos (Cibao FC)

RUN-UP TO DR: The U-20 WNT enters World Cup qualifying after facing a collection of the world’s top teams throughout 2019, topping the likes of Sweden, Germany, and Japan. The USA closed out the year with an exciting run at the 2019 Nike International Friendlies, finishing the tournament with a 2-1 win over France on goals from midfielder Alexa Spaanstra and forward Trinity Rodman.

The timing of the 2020 Concacaf Women’s U-20 Championship at the start of the year after the college season made the player selection process less difficult. Fifteen of the 20 players on the roster are currently in college while three are playing for youth clubs. Forward Sophia Smith is the sole professional on the roster after she was drafted by the Portland Thorns last month, becoming the first teenager to be taken No. 1 overall in the NWSL College Draft. Midfielder Talia DellaPeruta is currently playing as an amateur in Germany with Frauen-Bundesliga club FC Koln.

Players born on or after Jan. 1, 2000 are eligible for the 2020 U-20 Women’s World Cup and head coach Laura Harvey named players from three birth years: 12 players born in 2000, five born in 2001 and three born in 2002. The roster features two of the last three U.S. Soccer Young Female Players of the Year in Smith (2017) and midfielder Brianna Pinto (2019).

TOURNAMENT FORMAT: This year brings the 10^th edition of the Concacaf Women’s U-20 Championship. The tournament began in 2002 as the CONCACAF Women’s U-19 Championship.

The tournament field features 20 teams. Sixteen have been drawn into four groups of four, while four advanced directly to the Round of 16 via a pre-qualifying tournament. The top three finishers in each group will also qualify to the Round of 16. From there, it’s a knockout bracket to the tournament final. The two winners of the semifinal matches will qualify to the 2020 FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup.

This year’s Women’s U-20 Championship will only send two teams to the U-20 Women’s World Cup, rather than the usual three, due to the World Cup being played in the Concacaf region and hosts Costa Rica and Panama both receiving automatic bids.

ADDITIONAL NOTES:

• Mia Fishel’s four goals have her tied for the tournament goal-scoring lead. Trinidad and Tobago’s Afyiah Cornwall also netted four goals in T&T’s opener vs. Saint Kitts and Nevis.

• Five players have scored for the USA at the 2020 Concacaf Women’s U-20 Championsdhip: Fishel, midfielders Brianna Pinto, Alexa Spaanstra and Summer Yates as well as forward Samantha Meza.

• Laura Harvey has used 14 players thus far at the tournament. Goalkeeper Julia Dohle, defenders Maycee Bell, Sierra Enge, Emily Mason and forwards Rebecca Jarrett and Sophia Smith have yet to see action in the Dominican Republic.

• The USA's nine goals against Cuba were the most for any team on the first matchday of games.