MIRANDELA, Portugal (May 13, 2019) – The U.S. Under-17 Women’s National Team began its new cycle with a rousing 4-0 victory against regional rival Mexico at the UEFA Women’s International Development Tournament being held in northern Portugal.
The USA will continue the four-team tournament against Russia on May 15 and face host Portugal on May 17.
Fifteen-year-old forward Allyson Sentnor opened her U-17 account in the 21st minute after she received a pass from midfielder Jillian Shimkin inside the penalty area on the left side with her back to the goal. Sentnor turned to the outside with a defender on her back and created enough space to place her shot into the far corner with her left foot.
The USA doubled the lead just before halftime, and this time Sentnor returned the favor. From the top of the penalty area on the left side, forward Trinity Byars played a through ball to Sentnor, who centered from the end line to Shimkin for her to finish from about six yards out.
Byars got in on the goal scoring action in the 70th minute off an assist from midfielder Alexis Missimo, her club teammate at Solar SC in Texas. Byars struck a fantastic finish into the top left corner from outside the box to make it 3-0.
Forward Amelia White finished the scoring in the 82nd minute. From a few yards inside the attacking half on the left side, Shea O’Malley played a through ball to White, who got on the end of it, dribbled around the goalkeeper and slotted it home.
The goals were the first at the U-17 international level for all four players.
Head coach Tracey Kevins brought a 20-player roster made up of 18 players born in 2003, which is the birth cut off year for the 2020 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, and two players born in 2004.
The USA also participated in this competition in 2018 (winning all three games), and as was the case then, the development tournament will feature some unique rules. All the matches will consist of 40-minute halves, and if the score is tied at the end of regulation teams will go directly to penalty kicks to decide the winner, with three points awarded for a win in regulation, two points awarded for a win in penalty kicks, one point for a loss in penalties and zero points for a loss in regulation.
Each team is allowed nine substitutes during a match, but no more than three stoppages per team to make subs are allowed during the second half.
To underline the developmental nature of the tournaments, each player must play at least 80 minutes across the three matches. UEFA recommends that each player should play no more than 120 minutes over two consecutive games.
– U.S. U-17 Women’s National Team Match Report –
Match: United States U-17 Women's National Team vs. Mexico U-17 Women’s National Team
Date: May 13, 2019
Competition: UEFA Development Tournament
Venue: Estádio São Sebastião; Mirandela, Portugal
Weather: 87 degrees, clear skies
Scoring Summary: 1 2 F
USA 1 3 4
MEX 0 0 0
USA – Allyson Sentnor (Jillian Shimkin) 21st minute
USA – Jillian Shimkin (Allyson Sentnor) 43
USA – Trinity Byars (Alexis Missimo) 70
USA – Amelia White (Shea O’Malley) 82
Lineups:
USA: 12-Neeku Purcell (22-Nadia Cooper, 41); 2-Ayo Oke (13-Tatiana Fung, 65), 4-Andrea Kitahata (14-Shea O’Malley, 61), 18-Courtney Boone (19-Elise Evans, 41), 3-Baleigh Bruster (capt.); 8-Annie Karich (5-Devin Lynch, 41), 24-Emma Egizii (11-Alexis Missimo, 41), 7-Jillian Shimkin; 6-Simone Jackson (16-Amelia White, 41); 9-Allyson Sentnor (17-Amelia Horton, 61), 15-Arianna Manrique (10-Trinity Byars, 41)
Subs not used: None
Head Coach: Tracey Kevins
MEX: 1-Azul Alvarez (12-Celeste Espino, 61); 2-Alexandra Godinez, 3-Ashlyn Fernandez (16-Carol Cazares, 61), 4-Jana Gutierrez (capt.), 5-Havi Ibarra (15-Nailea Arrambide, 61); 6-Isabella Gutierrez (18-Nailea Vidrio, 61), 7-Danna Aranda (13-Wendy Jimenez, 41), 8-Martha Enciso (17-Marisol Gomez, 66); 9-Karla Rodriguez (20-Mariana Munguia, 61); 10-Denise Castro, 11-Blanky Serrano (14-Jimena Hermenegildo, 41)
Subs not used: 19-Layla Garcia
Head Coach: Maribel Dominguez
Stats Summary: USA / MEX
Shots: 11 / 5
Shots on Goal: 5 / 2
Saves: 2 / 1
Corner Kicks: 5 / 1
Fouls: 7 / 0
Offside: 1 / 0
Misconduct Summary:
None
Officials
Referee: Ana Afonso (POR)
Assistant Referee 1: Catia Tavares (POR)
Assistant Referee 2: Patricia Carneiro (POR)
Fourth Official: Sandra Nogueira (POR)