U.S. U-17 Women’s Youth National Team Downs Japan 2-0 In First Of Two Games In Los Angeles

CARSON, Calif. (Sept. 22, 2023) – The U.S. Under-17 Women’s Youth National Team scored two first half goals to defeat its counterparts from Japan, 2-0, in the first of two matches between the countries at the Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, Calif.

Washington Spirit midfielder Chloe Ricketts, the second youngest player ever to sign with an NWSL team, opened the scoring just 12 minutes in and forward Maddie Padelski doubled the lead 10 minutes later.

These matches are the first in a new U-17 WYNT cycle as the U.S. team prepares for the 2024 Concacaf Women’s U-17 Championship that will be contested from Feb. 1-11 in Toluca, Mexico.

Twenty-five players on the roster were born in 2007, which is the cutoff birth year for players to play in the 2024 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, while midfielder Kimmi Ascanio was born in 2008.

-- U.S. Under-17 Women’s Youth National Team Match Report --

Match: United States U-17 Women's Youth National Team vs. Japan U-17 WNT
Date: September 22, 2023
Competition: International Friendly
Venue: Dignity Health Sports Park – Field #3; Carson, Calif.
Weather: 82 degrees, sunny
Attendance: 150

Scoring Summary:   1          2          F         

USA                             2          0          2
JPN                             0          0          0

USA – Chloe Ricketts (Maddie Padelski)                   12th minute
USA – Maddie Padelski (Kennedy Fuller)                   22                       

Lineups:
USA: 1-Molly Vapensky (21-Olivia Geller, 46); 13-Maddie Costello (25-Katie Scott, 62), 4-Kai Price (24-Kiara Gilmore, 46), 17-Edra Bello (5-Jordyn Hardeman, 46), 3-Daya King (14-Jocelyn Travers, 62); 26-Ava Sherrer (16-Riley Cross, 46), 8-Kennedy Fuller (Capt.) (15-Kimmi Ascanio, 72), 2-Chloe Ricketts (10-Melanie Barcenas, 62); 7-Ayva Jordan (20-Avery Order, 72), 9-Mya Townes (23-Carrie Helfrich, 72), 22-Maddie Padelski (11-Alex Pfeiffer, 62)
Subs not used: 6-Ainsley McCammon, 12-Kennedy Zorn, 18-Leena Powell, 19-Alexis Coughlin
Head Coach: Katie Schoepfer

JPN: 18-Mao Fukuda; 13-Yuna Aoki (2-Chihiro Sugawara, 68), 3-Mitsuki Ota, 6-Tamami Aso, 12-Haruko Suzuki; 20-Hibari Hara, 23-Hina Hirakawa (22-Suzuha Deshimaru, 58), 7-Manaka Sakaki, 8-Miharu Shinjo, 19-Amiru Tsuji (16-Noa Fukushima, 46); 10-Asako Furuta (9-Momo Saruang Ueki Sato, 68)
Subs not used: 1-Airi Nagai, 4-Kotomi Iwaki, 5-Misato Asahida, 15-Iori Watanabe, 17-Yuka Makiguchi, 21-Asuka Sekiguchi  
Head Coach: Shirai Sadayoshi

Stats Summary: USA / JPN                        
Shots: 13 / 7
Shots on Goal: 8 / 5
Saves: 3 / 8
Corner Kicks: 3 / 3
Fouls: 10 / 6
Offside: 2 / 0

Misconduct Summary:
JPN – Mao Fukuda (Caution)             33^rd minute

Officials:
N/A