COUVA, Trinidad & Tobago (March 31, 2025) – The U.S. U-17 Women’s National Team opened its three-game schedule in the Final Round of the Concacaf Women’s U-17 Qualifiers with a dominating 3-0 victory over Trinidad & Tobago as forwards Ashlyn Anderson and Micayla Johnson and midfielder Chloe Sadler scored second half goals.
The USA will now face Honduras (April 2 at 4 p.m. ET on FS2) and El Salvador (April 5 at 7 p.m. ET on Tubi) with two more wins guaranteeing the USA a spot in the 2025 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup. Honduras and El Salvador tied 1-1 in the first match in Group C, meaning the USA sits atop the group and in control after one match day.
For this competition, Concacaf once again changed the qualifying format for the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup. Starting this year, the world championship for this age group will be staged annually and has been expanded from 16 to 24 nations. Instead of a qualifying tournament in which the top three Concacaf finishers advance to the U-17 Women’s World Cup, 12 teams were drawn into three groups of four teams each with the winner of each group and the best second place team qualifying for the World Cup, set for Oct. 17-Nov. 8 in Morocco.
The USA spent almost the entire match in its attacking half, but Trinidad & Tobago, playing in a very compact low block in a 4-5-1 formation, clogged the passing lanes and the penalty box with some gritty defending.
U.S. forward Nyanya Touray had a goal correctly called back for offside in the 17th minute and the Americans had a few other good chances in the first half, including a towering header from 5-foot-10 center back Pearl Cecil off a corner kick that was well-saved by T&T goalkeeper Zaira Aimey, who made a handful of nice stops to keep the score down.
Full credit to T&T for some hard-working and scrambling defense, including three blocks on a trio of close-range shots from Touray in the first half. The USA took 23 shots – to none for T&T – in the first half, but match headed into the break tied 0-0.
The USA did lose forward Maggie Curry early in the game after she suffered a hard tackle from behind in the 18th minute and had to be replaced by Audrey McKeen, who was an alternate at the beginning of pre-tournament Florida training camp but was added to the tournament roster after an injury to Elayna Kocher.
U.S. head coach Katie Schoepfer made two subs at half, sending on defender Lauren Hemann for Natalie Chudowsky and forward Ashlyn Anderson for Touray. It seemed only a matter of time until the USA pierced the tiring T&T rear guard and the Americans finally scored in the 63rd minute.
The goal came after a U.S. flurry that saw Anderson put the ball in the net in the 60th minute – foreshadowing what was to come -- but once again the flag was up for offside. Schoepfer sent on Sadler for captain Scottie Antonucci in the 62nd minute. Midfielder Jaiden Rodriguez took the armband and then two subs played a part in the game-winner.
Johnson, one of two professional players on the U.S. roster along with San Diego Wave midfielder Kimmi Ascanio (who did not see action tonight after playing 30 minutes for the Wave against the Orlando Pride on March 29 and then traveling to T&T), did some good dribbling work to free herself for a cross from the left wing. The pass on the ground found Sadler, whose shot was blocked, but the ball bounced off a T&T defender and fell to Anderson, who cut back to beat two defenders and then powered her shot into the lower left corner from about eight yards out.
Cecil had another header turned away in the 76th minute by Aimey but then Johnson doubled the lead in the 78th minute off a corner kick from Rodriguez. This service from the right found the head of Cecil and she sent the ball back into the middle where Johnson, with a sophisticated piece of finishing, whirled on the bouncing ball and looped a half-volley into the upper right corner to seal the game.
The USA got a third goal in the 90th minute as Sadler smoked a grass-cutter into the lower left corner from just outside the penalty box after receiving a short square pass from Anderson.
A frustrating night for the young Americans perhaps, but also a lesson in navigating the often-packed defenses that teams throw at the USA in the Concacaf region, and in the end, three points and one step closer to a World Cup berth.
Match: U.S. Under-17 Women’s National Team vs. Trinidad & Tobago
Date: March 31, 2025
Competition: Concacaf Women’s U-17 Qualifiers
Venue: Ato Boldon Stadium; Couva, Trinidad & Tobago
Attendance: 515
Kickoff: 7 p.m. local (7 p.m. ET)
Weather: 78 degrees, mostly cloudy
| Scoring Summary | 1 | 2 | F |
| USA | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| TRI | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| USA – Ashlyn Anderson | 63rd minute |
| USA – Micayla Johnson (Pearl Cecil) | 78 |
| USA – Chloe Sadler (Ashlyn Anderson) | 90 |
Lineups:
USA: 1-Evan O’Steen; 3-Syndey Schmidt, 5-Natali Chudowsky (14-Lauren Hemann, 46), 4-Pearl Cecil, 2-Cali O’Neill (13-Rhiannon Mahon, 79); 6-Charlee Siria, 17-Jaiden Rodriguez, 16-Scottie Antonucci (Capt.) (10-Chloe Sadler, 60); 11-Micayla Johnson, 19-Maggie Currie (18-Audrey McKeen, 23), 9-Nyanya Touray (14-Ashlyn Anderson, 46)
Substitutes Not Used: 7-Kimmi Ascanio, 8-Riley Kennedy, 12-Josie Biehl, 20-Gracie Milam, 21-Peyton Trayer
Head Coach: Kate Schoepfer
TRI: 1-Zaira Aimey; 2-Kaitlyn Darwent, 3-Hackeemar Goodridge, 15-Kanika Rodriguez (Capt.), 17-Mikaela Yearwood; 4-Diem Sealey (16-Madison Campbell, 81), 6-Cherina Steele, 8-Ty’kaiya Dennis, 12-Rori Gittens (9-Mia Lee Chong, 75); 7-Rasheda Archer, 10-Orielle Martin (19-Guiliana Meyer, 67)
Substitutes Not Used: 18-Kenisha Taylor, 21-Alexia Dolland, 5-Taya Williams, 11-Sanni Wilson, 13-Zyesha Potts, 14-Cherine Steele,20-Jessica Nesbitt
Head Coach: Ayana Russell
Stats Summary: USA / TT
Shots: 43 / 1
Shots on Goal: 14 / 0
Saves: 0 / 7
Corner Kicks: 13 / 1
Fouls: 9 / 3
Offside: 5 / 0
Misconduct Summary:
None
Officials:
Referee: Neressa Goldson (JAM)
Assistant Referee 1: Suelle Shepperd (SUR)
Assistant Referee 2: Denisha Isaacs (GUY)
Fourth Official: Dilia Bradley (GUA)