U.S. U-17 Women’s Youth National Team Opens Concacaf Women’s U-17 Championship With 13-0 Win Against Panama

TOLUCA, Mexico (Feb. 2, 2024) – The U.S. U-17 Women’s Youth National Team opened its Concacaf Women’s U-17, Championship run with a 13-0 route over Panama. Five goals from midfielder Kennedy Fuller led the way and tied the USA record for most goals in a single game at any level, while Kansas City Current forward Alex Pfeiffer added a hat trick, forward Mya Townes scored twice – which were two of the first three goals – and five players tallied their first international goals at the U-17 level.

After a sloppy first 10 minutes in which Panama created two corner kicks, the young Americans settled down and took over the game. Once the U.S. team found it’s rhythm via central midfielders Melanie Barcenas, she of San Diego Wave FC, and Ainsley McCammon, the team built off each other with quick passes and threatened down both flanks. Wingers Leena Powell sliced and diced defenders on the right while Pfeiffer did the same down the left and Panama had no answer for them. It took just eight minutes for the U.S. to find the back of the net as Townes finished off a great pass from Pfeiffer on the left.

The USA kept up a consistent attacking pace and scored again eight minutes later, this time as Powell showed off tremendous skill to dribble out of pressure and fire a shot on frame that was initially saved but finished by Pfeiffer on the rebound. The Americans kept up the pressure and tripled the lead in the 19^th minute, with Townes scoring her second of the day via a close-range finish off a deflected pass by Fuller. Another two minutes went by before Pfeiffer tallied her second of the day, this time receiving a pass from Powell from the right and cleverly cutting back to open up space before finishing with a shot into the lower right-side netting while wrong-footing the goalkeeper.

Powell was brought down in the 35^th minute after dribbling past two defenders and nearly escaping a third, earning a penalty kick which Pfeiffer stepped up to convert from the spot. One minute later, Fuller started her rampage that resulted in four consecutive goals as she scored in the 36^th, 42^nd, 56^th, and 65^th minutes on an incredibly tenacious run of play that put her attacking skills on display. Barcenas skillfully pulled the strings in midfield to assist one of Fuller’s goals. 

Substitute forward Rylee McLanahan added another goal in the 68^th minute, just nine minutes after coming into the match, before central defender Jordyn Hardeman added one of her own in the 75^th minute with a quality header off a corner kick. Fuller then tallied her fifth goal three minutes later, before outside back Katie Scott put a bow on the afternoon with a rocket from nearly 25 yards out. McLanahan’s goal came in her first U-17 cap.

The USA will now take on Puerto Rico on Sunday, Feb. 4 (1 p.m. ET; FS2) before concluding the group stage against Canada on Tuesday, Feb. 6 (1 p.m. ET; FS2).

GOAL SCORING RUNDOWN:

USA – Mya Townes (Alex Pfeiffer), 8th minute: Pfeiffer received the ball on the left wing and took a touch inside the box, setting herself up to play a pass that split a recovering defender and the goalkeeper to find Townes running inside the six-yard box for a tap-in near the goal line. USA 1, PAN 0

USA – Alex Pfeiffer, 16th minute: Leena Powell received the ball on the right flank after a nice passing buildup by the USA and dribbled into the box, evading pressure with some slick dribbling before firing a powerful shot low on frame. The Panama goalkeeper managed to make the initial save, but Pfeiffer scored off the rebound from three yards out. USA 2, PAN 0

USA – Mya Townes (Kennedy Fuller), 19th minute: Attacking from the right flank again, Powell played a low pass into the box, where Fuller redirected the ball with an attempted shot straight to Townes, who smashed home from close range. USA 3, PAN 0

USA – Alex Pfeiffer (Leena Powell), 21st minute: Powell dribbled up from the right wing and sent a low pass across the box for Pfeiffer into wide open space. She took a touch and cut across her defender to free herself up for a shot, which she slotted into goal skillfully with her left foot toward the bottom right corner. USA 4, PAN 0

USA – Alex Pfeiffer (Penalty Kick), 35th minute: Powell earned a penalty kick after being fouled inside the box on the dribble and Pfeiffer stepped up to bury her shot and complete her hat trick. USA 5, PAN 0

USA – Kennedy Fuller (Alex Pfeiffer), 36th minute: Pfeiffer received the ball on the left wing and dribbled toward the end line. She then sent a low ball into the box for Fuller who won a 50/50 challenge with the ‘keeper to redirect the ball into the net from five yards out. USA 6, PAN 0

USA – Kennedy Fuller, 42nd minute: Following a corner kick from the right side from Barcenas, a poor clearance by a Panama defender put the ball right at Fuller’s feet inside the box and she drilled a powerful strike right down the middle from 12 yards out. USA 7, PAN 0

USA – Kennedy Fuller (Melanie Barcenas), 56th minute: Barcenas dribbled up the center of the field and shook off her defender with a clever step-over and cut, freeing up space to find Fuller with a pass into space which she finished from about 13 yards out. USA 8, PAN 0

USA – Kennedy Fuller (Carrie Helfrich), 65th minute: Barcenas skillfully controlled up the middle and played ball out wide for second half substitute Carrie Helfrich on the left, who lobbed a pass to Fuller at the heart of the box for her finish with a left-footed half-volley. USA 9, PAN 0

USA – Rylee McLanahan (Carrie Helfrich), 68th minute: McLanahan, also a second half sub, received the ball in the middle and shook off her defender with a clever step-over. She dribbled into the box and finished with a right footed strike from about 15 yards out. USA 10, PAN 0

USA – Jordyn Hardeman (Rylee McLanahan), 75th minute: McLanahan took a USA corner from the left side and found Hardeman in the far side of the box. She leapt above a pack of players to score with a downward header that she placed low and across the goal into the left corner. USA 11, PAN 0

USA – Kennedy Fuller, 78th minute: After a dangerous attack from the left that ended up in a blocked shot, Fuller recovered the rebound just outside the box and fired a powerful strike high up the middle that went through the goalkeeper’s hands and into the back of the net. USA 12, PAN 0

USA – Katie Scott, 80th minute: Following a nice run of possession play, Scott collected a clearance deep on the left side, dribbled forward and fired from nearly 25 yards out burry the ball just inside the right post. USA 13, PAN 0

Additional Notes:

• The result was tied for the second biggest margin of victory for the USA in U-17 WYNT qualifying history and the third time the USA has posted a 13-0 win.
• With her hat trick, forward Alex Pfeiffer became the 20^th U.S.  player to score three or more goals in a U-17 Concacaf qualifying match while forward Kennedy Fuller became the 21^st player to achieve the feat with her five goals.
• Pfeiffer also had two assists to play a direct role in five goals.
• With her five goals, Fuller became just the third player to score five goals in a match at the U-17 level, joining Amalia Villarreal (2022) and Summer Green (2012).
• Mya Townes, Rylee McLanahan, Full, Jordyn Hardeman and Katie Scott all scored their first international goals at the U-17.
• Defender Trinity Armstrong, who started next to Hardeman, midfielder Ainsley McCammon and McLanahan also earned their first U-17 international camps.
• Forward Carrie Helfrich tallied two assists after coming into the match at halftime.

-U.S. Under-17 Women’s Youth National Team Match Report-

Match: United States Under-17 Women’s Youth National Team vs. Panama
Date: Feb. 2, 2024
Competition: Concacaf Women’s Under-17 Championship
Venue: Federación Mexicana de Fútbol Asociación, A.C. – Field 2; Toluca, Mexico
Attendance: 100
Kickoff: 1 p.m. ET (Noon CT)
Weather: 62 degrees, sunny

Scoring Summary:    1             2             F
USA                              7             6             13                                                         
PAN                              0             0             0            

USA – Mya Townes (Alex Pfeiffer)                                     8^th minute
USA – Alex Pfeiffer                                                              16
USA – Mya Townes (Kennedy Fuller)                                19
USA – Alex Pfeiffer (Leena Powell)                                  21
USA – Alex Pfeiffer (Penalty Kick)                                   35
USA – Kennedy Fuller (Alex Pfeiffer)                               36
USA – Kennedy Fuller                                                          42
USA – Kennedy Fuller (Melanie Barcenas)                      56
USA -- Kennedy Fuller (Carrie Helfrich)                           65
USA – Rylee McLanahan (Carrie Helfrich)                       68
USA – Jordyn Hardeman (Rylee McLanahan)                  75
USA -- Kennedy Fuller                                                           77
USA – Katie Scott                                                                  80

Lineups: 
USA: 1-Molly Vapensky; 13-Katie Scott, 2-Jordyn Hardeman, 4-Trinity Armstrong (5-Kiara Gilmore, 46), 15-Daya King (3-Lexi Coughlin, 63); 6-Ainsley McCammon (Capt.), 10-Kennedy Fuller, 11-Melanie Barcenas (7-Kimmi Ascanio, 67); 14-Leena Powell (18-Rylee McLanahan, 59), 20-Mya Townes, 17-Alex Pfeiffer (9-Carrie Helfrich, 46)
Substitutes not used: 8-Riley Cross, 12-Franky Dunlap, 16-Jocelyn Travers, 19-Y-Lan Nguyen, 21-Kennedy Zorn
Head Coach: Katie Schoepfer

PAN: 12-Nicollette Mas; 3-Karolain Cedeño, 2-Jorgelis Serna, 11-Kariana Cuesta (5-Vitoria Mitre, 46), 14-Yohalis Urriola; 9-Analia Arosemena, 7-Yuliana Tejera, 8-Kayra Perez, 13-Isabella Rendino, 17-Jozuanys Santos (4-Cristabella Rios, 40); 20-Naikelys Navarro (6-Nurialis Romero, 46)
Substitutes not used: 1-Elsa Grant, 10-Alison Onodera, 15-Helen Lezcano, 16-Yasselis Magallion, 18-Kelly Zapata, 19-Mia Gonzalez, 21-Jimena Albert
Head coach: Victor Suarez 

Stats Summary: USA / PAN
Shots: 32 / 8
Shots on Goal: 19 / 2
Saves: 2 / 6
Corner Kicks: 5 / 4
Fouls: 4 / 5
Offside: 1 / 0

Misconduct Summary:
None

Officials:
Referee: Deily Gomez (Costa Rica)
1^st Assistant Referee: Kimberly Moreira (Costa Rica)
2^nd Assistant Referee: Elizabeth Aguilar (El Salvador)
4^th Official: Shandor Wilkinson (Saint Kits and Nevis)