U.S. Under-16 WYNT Defeats France 3-1 To Earn Second Win At UEFA Development Tournament In Sweden
USA Gets Second-Half Goals from Avery Robinson, Jordyn Bugg and Sophia Bradley
KARLSKRONA, Sweden (May 20, 2022) – The U.S. Under-16 Women’s Youth National Team earned its second win in as many games at its UEFA Development Tournament, downing France 3-1 in a match that saw all four goals scored in the second half.
The USA defeated Norway, 4-0, on May 18 in the first game of the friendly tournament. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, these are the first international matches for the U.S. U-16s since February 2020 when the USA played in a UEFA Development Tournament in England.
After a scoreless first half, the USA got on the board in the 52nd minute as forward Ava McDonald beat a player down the wing and served a cross in the air to the top of the six-yard box, where midfielder Avery Robinson finished with a volley.
The lead didn’t last long as substitute Nermyne Ben Khaled equalized for France four minutes later.
The USA took the lead in the 77th minute off a corner kick from forward Emeri Adames. Defender Elizabeth Boamah’s shot was deflected by a defender and the ball fell to U.S. defender Jordyn Bugg who finished what would be the eventual game-winner.
The USA added an insurance goal in the 82nd as Adames served a ball into the penalty box from the left wing. The ball sailed over the heads of several France defenders and Sophia Bradley finished first-time for the final score line.
The goals for all three scorers were their first at the U-16 international level.
The U.S. team is being led by U.S. Under-17 Women’s Youth National Team head coach Natalia Astrain, who recently guided the USA to the title at the Concacaf Women’s U-17 Championship in the Dominican Republic and a berth to the 2022 FIFA Women’s World Cup in India. All the players on this U-16 WYNT roster are age-eligible for that team.
The USA will face host Sweden on May 23 to finish the friendly tournament. Players born on or after Jan. 1, 2006, are age-eligible for this competition and all 20 players called to travel to Sweden were born in 2006.
-- U.S. U-16 Women’s Youth National Team Match Report --
Match: U.S. U-16 Women's Youth National Team vs. France