U.S. Women’s CP National Team Defeats Denmark 16-4 in Final Preparation Match Before World Cup

Six Players Score Multiple Goals
Annie Wickett	dribbles around a defender
Annie Wickett	dribbles around a defender

DUBLIN, Ireland (September 29, 2024) - The U.S. Women’s Cerebral Palsy (CP) National Team earned a convincing 16-4 win over an upstart Denmark side Sunday morning in the USA’s last preparation match before November’s IFCPF World Cup. Eight different players scored - including hat tricks by Cassidy Leake and Annie Wickett - and braces from Kaia Spencer, Emeril Gordon, and Madison Hahs - for each, their first international goals. Isabella Stankunas and Jesslyn Kuhnel rounded out the scoring.

The USA tied its largest single-game goal output, having defeated Spain 16-0 in its inaugural match in 2022.

The same Starting V from the win over Ireland also began Sunday’s match. The World Cup veterans overmatched the young Denmark team, taking a 6-0 lead into halftime.

The teams used rolling subs throughout the 50 minutes, and the game was wide open for the entire second half. The four USA newcomers who made their debuts in Saturday’s win against Ireland all received significant playing time and made the mark, with Spencer, Gordon and Hahs each scoring their first two goals, and Stankunas adding another after opening her account on Saturday. Leah Glaser switched to goalkeeper for the second half, marking her first appearance in net.

Ireland’s and Denmark’s CP Women’s Teams are two of the latest additions in this discipline of soccer, both having debuted in 2023. The three teams will meet again at the IFCPF World Cup in November.

-U.S. WOMEN’S CP NATIONAL TEAM MATCH REPORT-

Match: United States Women’s CP National Team vs. Denmark
Date: September 29, 2024
Competition: CP International Friendly Series
Venue: AUL Complex, Dublin, Ireland
Attendance:
Kickoff: 6:00 a.m. ET (12 p.m. local)
Weather: 48 degrees; Cloudy

Scoring Summary 1 2 F
USA 6 10 16
DEN 0 4 4
USA - Michelle Cross 2nd minute
USA - Cassidy Leake (Jesslyn Kuhnel) 4
USA - Michelle Cross 9
USA - Cassidy Leake 14
USA - Cassidy Leake 19
USA - Annie Wickett 25
USA - Kaia Spencer (Madison Hahs) 27
USA - Annie Wickett 29
USA - Jesslyn Kuhnel (Kaia Spencer) 31
DEN - Goal 32
USA - Annie Wickett 32
USA - Isabella Stankunas 39
USA - Kaia Spencer (Isabella Stankunas) 40
DEN - Goal 41
USA - Madison Hahs 43
DEN - Goal 45
USA - Emeril Gordon (Kaia Spencer) 46
USA - Madison Hahs (Kaia Spencer) 48
USA - Emeril Gordon (Kaia Spencer) 49
DEN - Goal 50

Lineups:
USA: 1-Rebecca Ostrander (9-Leah Glaser, 26), 2-Cassidy Leake (Captain), (3-Annie Wickett, 20; 11-Emeril Gordon, 33’), 4-Michelle Cross ((8-Kaia Spencer, 26); 9-Leah Glaser (6-Madison Hahs, 15’), 10-Jesslyn Kuhnel (5-Isabella Stankunas, 32)
Substitutes not used: none
Head Coach: Tricia Taliaferro

DEN: Astrid Visti Krogh, Sara Fagrakalett Høgh, Fie Deneke, Mia Holling, Signe Dalsgaard
Subs: Karen Hulda Gunnarsdottir, Emma Vejby Sohoel, Caroline Petersen
Head coach: -

Misconduct Summary:
None