MURCIA, Spain (April 13, 2026) – The U.S. Under-23 Women’s National Team drew with Denmark, 1-1, and then won 5-3 in penalty kicks, to earn a berth to the championship game of the WU23 Friendly Finals where it will face France.
The USA drew Netherlands, 1-1, on April 10 in a friendly match, but this game against Denmark would determine if the USA made the final of this tournament against France, which beat Scotland in the other semifinal.
Duke forward Kat Rader scored in the 35th minute after a brilliant run down the right flank from Gotham FC’s Sofia Cook, who nutmegged a Danish defender near the sideline, beat another one to get to the endline and cut a cross back into the goal mouth on the ground. Portland Thorns forward Pietra Tordin dummied the ball as she made a near post run, and it rolled to the unmarked Rader, who swept the ball into the left side of the goal with her right foot from eight yards out.
Denmark tied the game in the 70th minute via Sarah Thygesen who finished a cross from Linnea Borbye from close range, smashing the ball off the underside of the crossbar and in. The match ended 1-1, sending it directly to penalty kicks.
The USA buried all five of its kicks, with Portland Thorns defender Jayden Perry, Angel City FC defender Eveyln Shores, Orlando Pride midfielder Ally Lemos, Rader and Pride forward Seven Castain converting in that order. U.S. goalkeeper Neeku Purcell saved Denmark’s second kick off the foot of halftime substitute Maja Hagemann, and that was all the USA needed.
Due to a common agreement with European teams, the countries are allowed to have up to five “overage” players on their rosters for these matches, all born within a certain number of years before the age-eligible players, which this year are players born on or after Jan. 1, 2003. The majority of players on this U.S. roster were born in 2003 and 2004, but the USA’s “overage” players are Bay FC goalkeeper Jordan Silkowitz (2000), midfielder Taylor Huff (Bay FC), and forward Riley Tiernan (Angel City FC), both of whom were born in 2002 and technically aged out of the U-23s this year.
-U.S. UNDER-23 WOMEN’S NATIONAL TEAM MATCH REPORT-
Match: United States Under-23 Women’s National Team vs. Denmark U-23 WNT
Date: April 13, 2026
Competition: International Friendly
Venue: Pinatar Arena; Murcia, Spain
Attendance: 40
Weather: 71 degrees, sunny
| Scoring Summary |
1 |
2 |
F |
PK |
| USA |
1 |
0 |
1 |
5 |
| DEN |
0 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
| USA – Kat Rader (Sofia Cook) | 35th minute |
| DEN – Sarah Thygesen (Linnea Borbye) | 70 |
Penalty Kicks:
USA: Perry (Goal), Shores (Goal), Lemos (Goal), Rader (Goal), Castain (Goal)
DEN: Olesen (Goal), Hagemann (Saved), Krog (Goal), Nejmann (Goal)
Lineups:
USA: 12-Neeku Purcell; 13-Andrea Kitahata (3-Evelyn Shores, 80), 24-Faith Leyba (23-Hailey Bauman, 67), 4-Jayden Perry, 19-Sierra Sythe; 6-Riley Jackson (Capt.) (8-Ally Lemos, 46), 14-Yuna McCormack, 21-Sofia Cook (20-Seven Castain, 56); 17-Kat Rader, 9-Pietra Tordin (18-Jordynn Dudley, 67), 7-Simone Jackson (22-Hope Leyba, 56)
Substitutes Not Used: 1-Jordan Silkowitz, 2-Ayo Oke, 5-Leah Klenke, 10-Taylor Huff, 11-Riley Tiernan, 15-Sarah Weber, 16-Sarah Schupansky
Head Coach: Heather Dyche
DEN: 1-Alberte Vingum; 2-Ida Marie Jorgensen, 7-Sarah Thygesen (5-Clara Houggard, 71, 8-Linnea Borbye (13-Augusta Callesen, 71), 9-Mai Wendicke (11-Anna Krog, 46), 10-Karoline Olesen, 12-Signe Markvardsen, 14-Nikoline Dudek, 15-Karen Knudsen (Capt.) (4-Meryem Baskaya, 61), 19-Josefine Funch (18-Elvira Nejmann, 90), 20-Therese Vestermark (17-Maja Hagemann, 46)
Substitutes Not Used: 3-Frida Nautrup, 16-Marie Gade
Head Coach: Mark Strudal
Stats Summary: USA / DEN
Shots: 6 / 4
Shots on Goal: 4 / 4
Saves: 3 / 3
Corner Kicks: 2 / 1
Fouls: 4 / 7
Misconduct Summary:
None
Officials:
Antonio Blas Oliver Martinez (ESP)
1st Benjamin Jensen Martinez (ESP)
2nd Santiago Ramon Valdivieso Gomez (ESP)
4th Official: Antonio Garnes Ibarra (ESP)
