PREVIEW: U.S. U-20 WYNT LAUNCHES WORLD CUP QUALIFYING QUEST IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
U.S. Under-20 Women’s Youth National Team
2022 Concacaf Women’s U-20 Championship
Estadio Olimpico Felix Sanchez; Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Feb. 25 - March 12, 2022
U-20 WYNT KICKS OFF CONCACAF WOMEN’S U-20 CHAMPIONSHIP: The U.S. Under-20 Women’s Youth National team will begin its journey at the 2022 Concacaf Women’s U-20 Championship on Friday, Feb. 25 vs. Nicaragua (3 p.m. ET; Fox Soccer Plus, TUDN). The match serves as the USA’s first step towards qualification for the 2022 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup, set for this summer in Costa Rica.
The U-20 WYNT continues Group A play on Sunday, Feb. 27 vs. Puerto Rico (3 p.m. ET) and finishes the group stage on Tuesday, March 1 against host Dominican Republic (6 p.m. ET).
All of the USA’s Group A matches will be played at Estadio Olimpico Felix Sanchez in Santo Domingo, capital of the Dominican Republic. Follow the U-20 WNT throughout the tournament on ussoccer.com as well as U.S. Soccer Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
2022 CONCACAF WOMEN’S U-20 CHAMPIONSHIP
GROUP A SCHEDULE - USA
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Estadio Olimpico Felix Sanchez; Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
|
|
|
|
|
Fox Soccer Plus, TUDN Digital (App and Website)
|
Estadio Olimpico Felix Sanchez; Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
|
|
|
|
|
FS2, TUDN Digital (App and Website)
|
Estadio Olimpico Felix Sanchez; Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
|
TOURNAMENT FORMAT: This year marks the 11th edition of the Concacaf Women’s U-20 Championship. The tournament began in 2002 as the CONCACAF Women’s U-19 Championship, qualifying two teams to the inaugural FIFA U-19 Women’s World Cup.
The 2020 competition introduced a new 20-team tournament format after all previous iterations were comprised of eight teams split into two groups of four. Now, sixteen countries are drawn into four groups of four, while four countries advance directly to the Round of 16 via a pre-qualifying tournament.
The top three finishers in each group qualify to the Round of 16, where they will be joined by the four teams from pre-qualifying. From there, it’s a knockout bracket to the tournament final. The two winners of the semifinal matches, plus the winner of the third-place game, will qualify to the 2022 FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup in Costa Rica.
The three teams that earn World Cup berths in the Dominican Republic will join Costa Rica as representatives of Concacaf at this summer’s world championship tournament. Costa Rica qualified automatically as host.
SEVENTH HEAVEN: The USA has won a record six Concacaf championships at this level, including five of the last six. The first tournament, held in 2002, did not produce a champion as the two group winners advanced to the first FIFA U-19 Women’s World Cup without semifinals or a championship game being played. The USA then won six of the next nine tournaments, losing the final to Canada in 2004 and 2008 and to Mexico in 2018. The USA has advanced to the final at every tournament that has held one, facing Canada five times and Mexico four times.
DOMINANCE IN THE DR: The U-20 WYNT put together an incredibly impressive performance at the last edition of this tournament during February/March 2020, also held in the Dominican Republic. In the introduction of the 20-team format, the U.S. rolled to seven straight victories and a 44-1 goal differential, not conceding until the championship match.
Forward Mia Fishel won the Golden Ball as the tournament’s best player, netting a team-high 13 goals in Santo Domingo, while midfielder Brianna Pinto and current senior USWNT call-up Trinity Rodman each added nine tallies during the dominant run. Current U-20 WYNT defender Emily Mason and midfielder Talia DellaPeruta were also part of the USA’s championship-winning squad.
HISTORY OF SUCCESS: The USA has compiled a 44-2-4 record all-time at this tournament. After racking up big offensive totals during the early years of the competition, the U.S. faced stiffer opposition in 2018 before rolling to the tournament title in 2020. In total, the U-20 WYNT has scored 299 goals across 10 appearances at the Concacaf Championship, while allowing just 18.
The U.S. has qualified for all 10 FIFA U-20 WWC’s that have been scheduled for this age group (including the canceled 2020 tournament) and won the FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup in 2002, 2008 and 2012.
SPRINGBOARD TO SENIOR USWNT: Many of the players who have scored for the USA in this tournament have gone on to become familiar full USWNT call-ups. Lindsay Tarpley, Heather O’Reilly, Leslie Osborne, Megan Rapinoe, Yael Averbuch, Rachel Buehler (now Van Hollebeke), Amy Rodriguez, Allie Long, Lauren Cheney (now Holiday), Kelley O’Hara, Alex Morgan, Meghan Klingenberg, Sydney Leroux, Kristie Mewis, Lindsey Horan, Julie Johnston (now Ertz), Morgan Brian (now Gautrat), Mallory Pugh, Andi Sullivan, Tierna Davidson and Sophia Smith have all scored in this competition and gone on to earn caps with the senior USWNT.
Current USWNT players Crystal Dunn and Samantha Mewis also represented the USA through two U-20 cycles. Fourteen of the players listed above have played for the U.S. in a Women’s World Cup at the senior level. Nine helped the WNT take home the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Two players from the 2020 Concacaf U-20 Women’s Championship winning squad were called into the senior USWNT’s most-recent competition, the 2022 SheBelieves Cup – forwards Smith and Trinity Rodman. Rodman made a splash at the 2020 competition, netting nine goals, including a five-goal outburst in the group stage finale vs. Honduras and braces in both the semifinal and final matches.
QUALIFIED TO COSTA RICA: Nine teams are qualified to the U-20 Women’s World Cup thus far. In addition to host Costa Rica, representatives from Asia, Europe and Oceania were nominated by their respective confederations after their continental qualifying tournaments were canceled. Japan, Korea DPR and Korea Republic will come from Asia, New Zealand will carry the banner for Oceania, while France, Germany, Netherlands and Spain will represent Europe.
RETURN TO ACTION: The sporting world shut down due to the global COVID-19 pandemic shortly after the 2020 Concacaf Women’s U-20 Championship wrapped up on March 8, 2020, canceling the 2020 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup and all Youth National Team programming for the rest of the year. The U-20 WYNT finally returned to the field for its first traditional training camp in October 2021 with a roster of top youth club players, while a squad of standout collegiate players was assembled in December 2021 ahead of World Cup qualifying. Only four players on the WCQ roster have previous U-20 WYNT international match experience, led by midfielder Talia DellaPeruta’s 10 caps.
2022 CONCACAF WOMEN’S U-20 CHAMPIONSHIP ROSTER BY POSITION (COLLEGE OR CLUB; HOMETOWN)
GOALKEEPERS (2): Mia Justus (Florida State; Lakewood, Ohio; 1/0), Neeku Purcell (OL Reign Academy; Seattle, Wash.; 0/0)
DEFENDERS (8): Lauren Flynn (Florida State; Arlington, Va.; 0/0), Samar Guidry (Virginia; McKinney, Texas; 3/0), Emily Mason (Rutgers; Flemington, N.J.; 6/0), Aidan McConnell (Wisconsin; Dexter, Mich.; 0/0), Ayo Oke (California; Lawrenceville, Ga.; 0/0), Avery Patterson (UNC; Jacksonville, Fla.; 0/0), Lilly Reale (UCLA; Hingham, Mass.; 0/0), Laney Rouse (Virginia, Cary, N.C.; 0/0)
MIDFIELDERS (5): Emily Colton (UNC; Carlsbad, Calif.; 0/0), Talia DellaPeruta (UNC; Cumming, Ga.; 10/0), Sally Menti (Santa Clara; Seattle, Wash.; 2/0) Alexis Missimo (Texas; Southlake, Texas; 0/0), Olivia Moultrie (Portland Thorns FC; Wilsonville, Ore.; 0/0)
FORWARDS (5): Trinity Byars (Texas; Richardson, Texas; 0/0), Michelle Cooper (Duke; Clarkston, Mich.; 0/0), Simone Jackson (USC; Redondo Beach, Calif.; 0/0), Andrea Kitahata (Stanford; Hillsborough, Calif.; 0/0), Alyssa Thompson (Total Futbol Academy; Studio City, Calif.; 0/0)
ROSTER NOTES:
- Players born on or after Jan. 1, 2002, are age-eligible for the 2022 Concacaf Women’s U-20 Championship. U.S. head coach Tracey Kevins selected nine players born in 2002, nine born in 2003, one born in 2004 and one born in 2005.
- The roster consists of 17 collegiate players, two youth club players and one professional.
- Portland Thorns midfielder Olivia Moultrie is the lone professional on the roster and also the team’s youngest player at 16 years old. She’s the youngest to ever play in NWSL, making eight appearances for the Thorns in her debut NWSL season last year and scored her first pro goal during last summer’s Women’s International Champions Cup.
- Midfielder Talia DellaPeruta is seeking her fourth youth Concacaf title after winning previous championships at the U-15 (2016), U-17 (2018) and U-20 (2020) levels.
- Forward Alyssa Thompson, one of two youth club players on the roster, helped the U-15 WYNT win the 2018 Concacaf U-15 Championship. While that tournament featured mostly 2003-birth year players, the USA brought a younger squad composed of players born in 2004 and 2005, including the 2004-born Thompson.
- Defender Samar Guidry, DellaPeruta and forward Trinity Byars all represented the USA at the 2018 FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup in Uruguay.
- DellaPeruta (10 caps), defenders Emily Mason (six) and Samar Guidry (three) plus goalkeeper Mia Justus (one) are the only players with U-20 WYNT caps going into the tournament.
- Eight collegiate players were named First or Second Team All-Conference and 11 named to All-Freshman Teams.
- Midfielders Sally Menti (Santa Clara) and Alexis Missimo plus forward Michelle Cooper (Duke) were named Freshman of the Year in their respective conferences (WCC, Big 12, ACC).
- Twelve colleges are represented on the roster, led by three players from UNC.
- The roster is made up of players from 13 states, with four coming from California.
- Players born in 2004 or later (Moultrie and Thompson) are age-eligible for the 2024 Concacaf Women’s U-20 Championship.
USA VS. NICARAGUA:
- Friday’s tournament opener marks the second meeting between the USA and Nicaragua in women’s soccer at any level.
- The teams first clashed during the group stage of the 2018 Concacaf Women’s U-20 Championship in Trinidad and Tobago, a 2-0 victory for the U.S.
- Nineteen of Nicaragua’s 20 players compete at nine domestic clubs, including five from UNAN Managua Feminino in the capital city.
- Forward Yuliana Aleman plays for Real Miami CF in the U.S. as the squad’s lone foreign-based player.
- Nicaragua has called in six players born in 2002, six born in 2003, four born in 2004, one born in 2005 and three born in 2006. The 2006-born players are among the tournament’s youngest participants.
NICARAGUA ROSTER BY POSITION (CLUB):
GOALKEEPERS (3): 10-Dayana Calero (UNAN Managua), 1-Raquel Garcia (Atletico Somotillo), 12-Monica Mercado (Diriangen FC)
DEFENDERS (5): 6-Vanessa Altamirano (Managua FC), 2-Maria Arvizu (UNAN Managua Feminino), 8-Aryeri Mejia (Masaya FC), 13-Ariana Munguia (Zacarias Guerra), 15-Ruth Zeledon (UNAN Managua Femenino)
MIDFIELDERS (3): 20-Xiomara Errington (Masaya FC), 4-Adriana Munguia (Masaya FC), 5-Edy Perez (CD El 26)
FORWARDS (9): 17-Meyling Acuña (Managua FC), 19-Yuliana Aleman (Real Miami CF/USA), 16-Massiel Hernandez (Managua FC), 11-Paola Maradiaga (Atletico Somotillo), 14-Leydin Mejia (UNAN Managua Femenino), 18-Rosa Mena (Las Leyendas), 3-Onix Merlo (UNAN Managua Feminino), 9-Niurka Molina (Atletico Somotillo), 7-Ines Navarrete (Juventus FC)
TOURNAMENT NOTES:
- Each team will be allowed to make a maximum of five substitutions in a maximum of three opportunities throughout the match, not including halftime.
- If both teams make a substitution at the same stoppage, both teams will be charged an opportunity.
- Beyond the five normal subs, each team will be permitted to make up to two additional concussion substitutes when there is a possible or suspected concussion.
- Concussion subs are permitted at any time during the game and can be made regardless of normal subs or opportunities that remain.
- If one team uses a concussion sub, the opposing team is granted an additional sub and additional opportunity, but the additional sub can only be made after all the team’s normal substitutes or opportunities have been used.
- This additional opportunity can only be used for the additional substitute. If a team has leftover normal substitutes but has ran out of normal opportunities, the team cannot use the additional opportunity to use the leftover normal substitutes.
- If teams are tied on points at the conclusion of the group stage, the following tiebreakers will be used:
- Goal difference in all group matches
- Greatest number of goals scored in all group matches
- If teams are still tied, the following tiebreakers will be used:
-
Greater number of points in matches between the tied teams.
-
Greater goal difference in matches between the tied teams (if more than two teams finish equal on points)
-
Greater number of goals scored in matches among the tied teams (if more than two teams finish equal on points)
-
Lower number of points based on yellow and red cards in all group matches (First yellow - 1 point, second yellow/indirect red - 3 points, direct red - 4 points, yellow and direct red - 5 points)
- Two yellows received in different games during the competition will result in automatic suspension for the next game. Single yellow cards will be eliminated at the end of the group stage.
- In the knockout stage, if teams are tied at the end of regulation, extra time will be played with two periods of 15 minutes.
- In extra time, teams have the option to make one additional substitution.
- If the score is tied at the end of extra time, the match will go straight to kicks from the penalty mark.
- Estadio Olimpico Felix Sanchez, which will host all three of the USA’s group stage matches, is named after Dominican hurdler Felix Sanchez, who won gold in the 400m hurdles at the 2004 and 2012 Summer Olympics.
BY THE NUMBERS:
2 players from the U.S. team that won the 2020 Concacaf Women’s U-20 Championship - defender Emily Mason and midfielder Talia DellaPeruta
3 Concacaf youth championships won by DellaPeruta: U-15 (2016), U-17 (2018) and U-20 (2020)
3 Players have previously represented the USA at a youth World Cup - DellaPeruta, defender Samar Guidry and forward Trinity Byars
3 Non-collegiate players on the roster - youth club players Neeku Purcell (OL Reign Academy) and Alyssa Thompson (Total Futbol Academy)
4 Birth years represented on the U.S. roster: 2002 (nine players), 2003 (nine), 2004 (one) and 2005 (one)
4 Players on the roster from California, the most of any state
6 Concacaf tournaments, out of 10 total, in which the USA has won all its games.
12 Different colleges represented on the roster, with players coming from the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12 and WCC
14 Different countries that the USA has faced at this tournament
16 years old - the age of midfielder Olivia Moultire, the youngest player on the U.S. roster and also the youngest player to take the field in the National Women’s Soccer League
22 Games that the USA has scored five or more goals at this tournament
32 Match unbeaten streak for the U.S. at the Concacaf Women’s U-20 Championship. The team hasn’t lost in World Cup qualifying since the 2008 tournament final on June 28. It will be a span of 4,990 days when the USA kicks off the tournament on Friday
34 Games that the USA has recorded a shut-out at this competition
44 All-time matches won at this tournament
52 Players who have been involved in the first three training camps of the U-20 WYNT cycle
HEAD COACH TRACEY KEVINS: Tracey Kevins was named head coach of the U.S. Under-20 Women’s Youth National Team in October. She previously served as U-17 WYNT head coach during the 2019-20 cycle, which saw both the Concacaf Women’s U-17 Championship and FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup canceled due to the global COVID-19 pandemic. Kevins joined U.S. Soccer in June 2017 as head coach of the U-15 WYNT.
- This will be Kevins’ first Concacaf World Cup qualifying tournament as head coach. She was an assistant as the USA won the 2018 Conacaf Women’s U-17 Championship. Kevins also served as an assistant at the ensuing 2018 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.
- In 2021, Kevins completed the U.S. Soccer Pro License, becoming one of just four women to do so. She also holds a UEFA “A” License.
- No stranger to international tournaments, Kevins was an assistant for England as the Young Lionesses finished second at the 2007 U-19 Women’s Euros and top four in 2008. She was also an assistant at the 2008 FIFA U-20 WWC in Chile.
- Kevins worked with England from 2004-13 as an assistant for various Youth National Teams as well as serving as head coach on occasion for the U-17 and U-19 England WYNTs.
- She has been involved with U.S. Soccer since 2013, coaching Training Centers in the Los Angeles area and Pacific Northwest to help identify and assess players for potential call-ups to the Youth National Team program.
|
