25Apr
USA will face haiti in semifinals on friday, feb. 9 for berth to 2024 fifa u-17 women’s world cup; five goal victory ties against canada in concacaf u-17 women’s world cup qualifying; melanie barcenas, y-lan nguyen and leena powell score first international goals.
TOLUCA, Mexico (Feb. 6, 2024) – The U.S. Under-17 Women’s Youth National Team rolled over Canada 5-0 in dominant fashion to claim the top spot in Group B at the 2024 Concacaf Women’s U-17 Championship as five different players found the net.
The USA’s two professional players, San Diego Wave FC midfielder Melanie Barcenas and KC Current forward Alex Pfieffer bagged the first two goals, with Pfieffer’s 50th-minute tally kicking off a run of three tallies in a nine-minute span in the second half to put the game out of reach. Midfielder Y-Lan Nguyen put an exclamation point on things in the 73rd minute with her first international goal, boosting the U.S. to tie its biggest margin of victory ever against Canada at the Concacaf U-17 Championship over seven meetings all-time.
With the victory, the USA will face Group A runner-up Haiti in the semifinal round on Feb. 9 at 1 p.m. ET (FS2) for a berth to the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in the Dominican Republic, and a spot in the championship match. Canada will face host Mexico, the Group A winner, in the other semifinal on Feb. 9 (4 p.m. ET). The U.S. is seeking its third-straight Concacaf title at this age level and sixth overall.
The U.S. totally dominated the match, knocking the ball at pace around and through the Canadian defense, creating danger up the middle, down the wings, on shots from outside and on set plays.The young Americans limited Canada to one shot and none on goal while piling up a 30-1 shot advantage against its northern neighbor.
Barcenas converted the USA’s first attempt of the game in the ninth minute, scoring an impressive strike from outside the penalty area after a give-and-go with midfielder Kennedy Fuller.
As one of first two professional players ever to represent a U.S. U-17 WYNT at World Cup qualifying, Barcenas’ goal came in her 10th U-17 international appearance, the most on the squad after she also participated in the previous U-17 cycle.
The U-17s had numerous chances to double their advantage in the following few minutes. A nice exchange from forward Rylee McLanahan to Barcenas in the box nearly led to an own goal from Canadian defender Ines Nourani and on the ensuing corner kick, two headers went off the crossbar in succession before Canada managed to clear.
Another barrage of U.S. chances came just after the half-hour mark. Defender Katie Scott and midfielder Ainsley McCammon launched shots from distance in the 33rd and 34th minutes, respectively, before Fuller ripped a shot from outside the box in the 36th.
Canada goalkeeper Noelle Henning made an impressive leaping save to get a finger on the ball and tip it away. The corner kick that followed saw the U.S. hit the crossbar yet again, this time off the head of center back Jordyn Hardeman.
Outside backs Katie Scott and Daya King, along Hardeman and her center back partner Kiara Gilmore, kept the Canada forwards on lock down and the floodgates finally opened for the American attack after the break.
As Canada tried to play out of the back in the 50th minute, forward Leena Powell pounced on a misplayed ball and sent it into the box for Pfeiffer, who was able to redirect the ball into the left corner from close range past the sprawling Henning.In the 57th, Pfeiffer ripped a shot from the corner of the box and while Henning made a diving save, Powell pounced on the rounded to pound the ball into the net as two defenders closed on her.
Another goal from close range came in the 59th as Henning bobbled a shot from outside the box and Fuller was able to slide her shot home.
Nguyen netted her first international goal in just her second game with the U.S. U-17s to cap off the scoring in the 73rd minute.
Stats Summary:
USA / CANADA
Shots: 30 / 1
Shots on Goal: 12 / 0
Saves: 0 / 7
Corner Kicks: 10 / 0
Fouls: 3 / 4
Offside: 3 / 1
Officials:
Referee: Amairany Garcia (Mexico).
1st Assistant Referee: Elva Gutierrez (Mexico).
2nd Assistant Referee: Aranza Quero (Mexico).
4th Official: Deily Gomez (Costa Rica).
