SALOU, Spain (May 12, 2022) - The U.S. Para Women’s National Team marked their first-ever international match with an authoritative 16-0 victory against Spain that featured three hat tricks, including a six-goal first-half performance from Catarina Guimarães.
Guimarães, an 18-year-old forward from Cranford, N.J., scored in the sixth, 11th, 12th, 14th, 18th and 22nd minute. Her first half outburst paired nicely with Carson City, Nevada’s Rebecca Ostrander, who scored the first goal in team history in the second minute and then added two tallies in the 16th and 22nd.
Head coach Tricia Taliaferro was able to field her entire roster in the match, save for captain Kat Renick, who came into the game nursing an injury. The third USA hat trick came from Jesslyn Kuhnel of Panama City, Fla., who came on as a sub midway through the second half and then proceeded to score a natural hat trick across a four-minute span (41st, 42nd, 44th).
Two other players added second-half braces, with substitutes Joey Martin (Smyrna, Ga.) and Leah Glaser (Montclair, N.J.) scoring in the 26th and 31st minutes, and then in the 37th and 50th minutes, respectively.
Goalkeeper Emily Lauritsen from Omaha, Neb. secured the shutout in goal for the U.S., playing all 50 minutes of the match. The U.S. defense, led by defenders Annie Wickett (Frederick, Md.) and Michelle Cross (San Diego), as well as second-half sub Cassidy Leake (Murrieta, Calif.), held Spain to one long-distance shot in the game.
The U.S. now sits in first place in the five-team inaugural competition, with matches ahead against Netherlands (Friday, May 13 at 12:45 p.m. local / 6:45 a.m. ET), Japan (Saturday, May 14) and Australia (Sunday, May 15). The tournament’s championship match is set for Tuesday, May 17. All of the tournament games will be streamed live at https://www.esportplus.tv/home.
-U.S. PARA WOMEN’S NATIONAL TEAM MATCH REPORT-
Match: United States Para Women’s National Team vs. Spain
Date: May 12, 2022
Competition: 2022 IFCPF World Cup
Venue: Futbol Salou Sports Complex
Attendance: —
Kickoff: 3:45 a.m. ET (9:45 a.m. local)
Weather: 65 degrees; sunny
Scoring Summary: 1 2 F
USA 9 7 16
ESP 0 0 0
USA – Rebecca Ostrander 2nd minute
USA – Catarina Guimarães 6
USA – Catarina Guimarães 11
USA – Catarina Guimarães 12
USA – Catarina Guimarães (UA) 14
USA – Rebecca Ostrander (Catarina Guimarães) 16
USA – Catarina Guimarães (UA) 18
USA – Rebecca Ostrander (Catarina Guimarães) 21
USA – Catarina Guimarães (UA) 22
USA – Joey Martin 26
USA – Joey Martin 31
USA – Leah Glaser (UA) 37
USA – Jesslyn Kuhnel 41
USA – Jesslyn Kuhnel (Cassidy Leake) 42
USA – Jesslyn Kuhnel (Joey Martin) 44
USA – Leah Glaser (UA) 50
Lineups:
USA: 1-Emily Lauritsen; 3-Annie Wickett (8-Cassidy Leake, 26), 4-Michelle Cross (captain) (9-Leah Glaser, 34); 7-Catarina Guimarães (5-Joey Martin, 26), 2-Rebecca Ostrander (10-Jesslyn Kuhnel, 34)
Subs Not Used: 6-Kat Renick
Head Coach: Tricia Taliaferro
ESP: 8-María Callejo Arranz; 2-Anna Capdevila Cuesta, 3-Sandra Martín Rodriguez, 4-Teresa Martínez Santiago, 10-Susana Pérez Solé
Substitutes: 6-María Agustí Carol; 7-Marta Canales Fernández
Subs Not Used: 9-Alba Bizarro Garía, 13-Erika Gonzalez Sanz
Head coach: Sónia Noell Canaleta
Stats Summary: USA / ESP
Shots: 29 / 1
Saves: 0 / 11
Corner Kicks: 4 / 0
Fouls: 2 / 2
Misconduct Summary:
None
Officials:
Referee: I. Monteiro
Referee: A. Coca