U.S. U-17 Women’s National Defeats Spain, 2-0, in the First of Two Matches in Alicante

ALICANTE, Spain (Aug. 28, 2025) – The U.S. U-17 Women’s National Team defeated Spain, 2-0. It was the first of two matches for the teams, which are both preparing for the 2025 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.

The teams will meet again on Aug. 31 at Stadi Olímpic Camilo Cano in Alicante.

The U.S. lost to Spain, 3-1, in the opening game of the 2024 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, albeit with different squads of players.

This is the final training camp and final matches before U.S. head coach Katie Schoepfer chooses the 21-player roster that will represent the USA at the 2025 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, taking place in Morocco from Oct. 17-Nov. 8.

With the match scoreless at half, midfielder Jaiden Rodriguez — who is a freshman at USC — put the USA up 1-0 with a goal in the 69th minute after coming on just four minutes earlier. Forward Lauren Malsom, who is a freshman at UNC, sealed the deal 11 minutes later with a goal in the 80th minute off an assist from Rodriguez. For Rodriguez, it was her third career goal at the U-17 level in her 14th cap, while Malsom opened her U-17 international camp with her first career goal which came in her fourth cap at this level.

Rodriguez didn’t enter the game until the 65th minute before tallying her goal and the assist.

The age cutoff to play in the 2025 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup is players born on or after Jan. 1, 2008. This roster features 18 players born in 2008, two in 2009 – forward Maddie DiMaria and defender Meila Brewer — one in 2010 in goalkeeper Carmen O’Dea, and midfielder Loradana Paletta was born in 2011.

The U.S. U-17 WNT has several professional players from the NWSL in the pool, but none of them were available for selection for this roster.

At the 2025 FIFA U-17 WWC, the USA will play in Group C and will face Ecuador (9 a.m. ET / 2 p.m. local time) in its first match on Saturday, Oct. 18. The USA will then face China PR on Tuesday, October 21 (12 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. local) and finish group play against Norway on Friday, October 24 (9 a.m. ET / 2 p.m. local). All three of the USA’s Group C games will be played at the Football Academy Mohammed VI (Pitch 3) in Sale, which is just outside of the capital of Rabat.

These matches in Spain are the ninth and tenth international matches this year for the U.S. U-17 WNT ahead of the World Cup, continuing the focus on the U.S. Way, which emphasizes increased programming for Youth National Teams to create more opportunities for young players to advance through the pathway to the senior National Team with the goal of representing their country at a world championship.

-U.S. UNDER-17 WOMEN’S NATIONAL TEAM MATCH REPORT-

Match: United States U-17 Women's National Team vs. Spain U-17 Women’s National Team

Date: August 28, 2025

Competition: International Friendly

Venue: Estadio Olimpico Camilo Cano; Alicante, Spain

Attendance: 50

Weather: 84 degrees, Sunny

Lineups:

USA: 1-Evan O’Steen; 14-Cali O’Neill (3-Ryana Dill, 65), 4-Meila Brewer (15-Claire Kessenger, 46), 5-Pearl Cecil (Capt.), 19-Sydney Schmidt (2-Olivia Robinson, 75); 8-Chloe Sadler (6-Charlee Siria, 57), 16-Scottie Antonucci (18-Riley Kennedy, 65), 22-Nyanya Touray (10-Jaiden Rodriguez, 65); 17-Maddie DiMaria (7-Ellie Kocher, 65), 9-Lauren Malsom, 13-Addison Feldman (11-Saleen Koszorus, 75)

Subs not used: 12-Peyton Trayer, 20-Loradana Paletta, 21-Carmen O’Dea

Head Coach: Katie Schoepfer

ESP: 1-Alba Fuertes Pardo (23-Antia Veiga Carames, 46), 6-Vera Molina Moleon (16-Maria Carvajal Maestre, 46), 8-Montserrat AlabartBalsells (10-Ceila Gomez Garcia Quijada, 46), 9-Iraia Soroa Moure (12-Maialen Valladares Mesa, 46), 11-Candela Rodriguez Casin (7-Ivet Franch Blanco, 46), 15-Xenia Barrios Machuca (24-Maria Rius Villamana, 46), 17-Iraia Fernandez Hidalgo (5-Abril Ruis Sanchez, 46), 18-Maddie Martin Iglesias (2-Raquel Zuazo Barrilero, 46), 21-Lidia Gibert Magdaleno (20-Carlota Chacon Peso, 46), 22-Alejandra De Las Sias Lopez (14-Laia Cabetas Mejias, 46), 4-Silvia Cristobal Fernandez (Capt). (3-Andrea Galvez Palomino, 62), 14-Laia Cabetas Mejias (19-Claudia Barrios Lopez, 72)

Subs not used: None

Head Coach: Milagros Martinez

Stats Summary: USA / ESP

Shots: 7 / 5

Shots on Goal: 5 / 5

Saves: 5 / 3

Corner Kicks: 1 / 3

Fouls: 3 / 3

Offside: 1 / 4

Misconduct Summary:

None

Officials:

Referee: Ponce De Leon Pomares, Diana

Assistant Referee 1: Miralles Almagro, Victoria

Assistant Referee 2: Birtles, Gabrielle Alex

Fourth Official: Naiara Martinez, Martinez