U.S. Under-16 Women’s Youth National Team Opens UEFA Friendship Tournament In Turkey With 2-0 Win Over The Hosts

RIVA, Turkey (April 11, 2024) – The U.S. Under-16 Women’s National Team won its first match at the eight-team UEFA Friendship Tournament in Riva, Turkey, downing the hosts, 2-0, on goals from midfielders Jaiden Rodriguez and Addison Feldman.

It was the first-ever match against Turkey for any of the USA’s Women’s Youth National Teams and the young Americans were in control from start to finish, piling up a 12-1 advantage in shots.

The USA scored a goal early and one late with Rodriguez tallying off a breakaway in the 12^th minute as she finished into the lower left corner and then in the 84^th minute, Feldman powered home a header off a cross from the right wing that was served by forward Ella Kral.

The USA will continue Group A play against Vietnam on April 13 and then Botswana on April 16. All the matches are being played at Turkey’s TFF Riva Facility, the federation’s National Training Center. Group B features Uganda, China, Wales and Paraguay.

On April 18, all the teams will play a placement match based on the final group standings, with the first-place team in Group A facing the first-place team in Group B for the championship, the two second-place finishers squaring off for third place, the third-place finishers in the groups meeting for fifth place and the fourth-place finishers playing for seventh.

Players born on or after Jan. 1, 2008, are age-eligible for this U-16 WYNT cycle. For this tournament, U.S. head coach Patchy Toledo selected all 2008-birth year players. All players in the U-16 WYNT pool are age-eligible for this year’s FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, set for October/November in the Dominican Republic.

-U.S. Under-16 Women’s Youth National Team Match Report-

Match: United States Under-16 Women’s Youth National Team vs. Turkey
Date: April 11, 2024
Competition: UEFA Women’s U-16 Friendship Tournament 
Venue: 1 Nolu Saha; Riva, Turkey
Weather: 64 degrees, sunny

Scoring Summary:   1          2          F
USA                              1          1          2                                             
TUR                             0          0          0         

USA – Jaiden Rodriguez                                12^th minute
USA -- Addison Feldman (Ella Kral)             84

Lineups:
USA: 1-Evan O'Steen, 2-Sydney Schmidt (13-Cali O'Neill, 57), 4- Pearl Cecil (14-Marlee Raymond, 52), 5- London Young (15-Vienna Whipple, 80), 3-Sierra Dupre; 6-Rylie Morse (16-Reese Canada, 52), 8-Scottie Antonucci (Capt.) (20-Charlee Siria, 57), 10-Jaiden Rodriguez; 7-Ella Kral, 9-Peyton Marinos (19-Ashlyn Anderson, 52), 17-Jordan Hill (18-Addison Feldman, 57)
Substitutes Not Used: 12-Josie Biehl, 11-Micayla Johnson
Head Coach: Patchy Toledo

TUR: 1-Esra Yarim, 2-Mevlüde Melek Okuyan, 3-Burcu Ozsoy (14-Busra Cosar, 69), 4-Isra Sila Gumustekin, 5-Ruveyda Gurbuz, 6-Mervenur Tasucu (19-Alara Turkkan, 83) 7-Buket Ozsoy (18-Liya Eylul Dogu, 83), 9-Elif Ceren Mutlu (20-Selin Mehmedov, 60), 10-Yaren Ersen (8-Sibel Koksal, 69), 11-Sila Cigdem (17-Elif Esra Sanli, 60), 13-Yaren Beyazgul (16-Beyza Tekgunduz, 46)
Substitutes not used: 12-Melis Gunes, 15-Elif Berra Cambaz
Head coach: Begüm Üresin

Stats Summary: USA / TUR
Shots: 12 / 1
Shots on Goal: 6 / 0
Saves: 4 / 0
Corner Kicks: 5 / 0
Fouls: 13 / 4
Offside: 2 / 0

Misconduct Summary:
N/A

Officials:
Referee: Hikmet Ayberk Han Tiryaki
1^st Assistant Referee: Ceren Hanife Bahadir
2^nd Assistant Referee: Çiğdem Uruç
4^th Official: Hatice Aydin