U.S. Under-16 Girls’ National Team Falls to Spain, 2-0, to Open UEFA Development Tournament in Türkiye
USA Gives Up Goals at the End of Each Half, Will be Looking to Bounce Back Against Denmark on Feb. 23
SIDE, Türkiye (Feb. 21, 2026) – The U.S. Under-16 Girls’ National Team fell 2-0 to Spain in its opening match of the UEFA Development tournament that also features England and Denmark.
The USA will face Denmark on Feb. 23 and England on Feb. 26. All the games are being played at Emirhan Sports Center Stadium. In the other match of the day, Denmark downed England, 2-1.
Although the USA outshot Spain 12-8, the Spaniards were more clinical and scored the game’s first goal in the 42nd minute. The goal was conceded off a corner kick that was served to the top of the six-yard box. The USA failed to clear with a header and the ball fell to the foot of Ágata Piza Aljama who volleyed with her left foot over U.S. goalkeeper Carmen O’Dea, who plays for FC Barcelona at the youth level.
The USA pushed for an equalizer the entire second half, but the next goal went to Spain to clinch it in stoppage time. The USA lost a battle for the ball in midfield which led to a transitional moment in the middle of the field.Jana Muro Diaz slipped a pass through the U.S. back line for Bruna Quintana Ros, who ran onto it, took two touches and slotted the ball just inside the post past the onrushing O’Dea.
The overall winner of the tournament will be determined on points with three awarded for winning in normal time, zero for losing in normal time, one point for losing in penalty kicks and two points for winning in penalty kicks.
If teams are tied on points at the end of the round-robin competition, the tiebreakers will be as follows: head-to-head result, best goal difference and most goals scored.
All 20 players on the roster were born in 2010, which is the birth cutoff year to be eligible for the 2027 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, the tournament that this age group of players will be attempting to qualify for at the 2027 Concacaf Women’s U-17 Championship this Spring.
These matches are part of the Federation’s continued focus on the U.S. Way philosophy, which emphasizes increased programming for Youth National Teams to create more opportunities for young players to advance through the pathway to the senior National Team with the goal of representing their country at a world championship.
- U.S. UNDER-16 GIRLS’ NATIONAL TEAM MATCH REPORT -
Match: United States U-16 Girls’ National Team vs. Spain U-16 Girls’ National Team
Date: February 21, 2026
Competition: UEFA Development Tournament
Venue: Emirhan Sports Center - Field #2; Side, Türkiye
Weather: 60 degrees, Rainy
| Scoring Summary | 1 | 2 | F |
| USA | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ESP | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| ESP – Ágata Piza Aljama | 42nd minute |
| ESP – Bruna Quintana Ros (Jana Muro Diaz) | 90+2 |
Lineups:
USA: 1-Carmen O’Dea; 2-Lilly Yakel, 4-Madison Kline (Capt.), 5-Mercy Karson, 13-Addison Staats (2-Cali Hejduk, 67); 18-Brynlie Ward (16-Carly Barnes, 57), 8-Avery Walbruch (15-Sofia White, 67), 14-Mia Sommers (10-Hannah Yu, 46); 17-Riley Rountree (6-Addison Stout, 46), 9-Anaya Bursey (20-Koi Edwards, 67), 11-Stella Spitzer (7-Tatum Gardner, 57)
Subs not used: 19-Kendra Kates, 21-Molly Gaffney
Head Coach: Katie Schoepfer
ESP: 23-Alazne Maestu Isasi Isasme; 5-Ariadna Casanovas Alvarez (12-Jara Fernández Gonzalez, 46), 4-Georgina Morante Márquez (20-Claudia Tendillo Bernabé, 57), 16-Inge Garayalde Mendizabal, 18-Laia OlañetaFernández (3-Irene Cazador Pichardo, 68); 6-Jana Muro Diaz, 8-Ágata Piza Aljama, 10-Elena Vizuete Cano (17-Joane Gavilán Arenas, 76); 14-Ángela Vieco García (7-Sara Muñoz Perez, 68), 11-Bruna Quintana Ros, 2-Abril Sampol Lorente (15-Andrea Fernández Reyes, 46).
Subs not used: 1-Rocío Pardo Richarte, 13-Laura Cifuentes Agreda, 9-Ana María Martos Vilches
Head Coach: Nati Gutierrez
Stats Summary: USA / ESP
Shots: 12 / 8
Shots on Goal: 6 / 4
Saves: 2 / 6
Corner Kicks: 11 / 2
Fouls: 4 / 11
Offside: 2 / 2
| Misconduct Summary | |
| ESP – Elena Vizuete Cano (Caution) | 24th minute |
Officials:
Referee: Benjamin Seferovic (DEN)
Assistant Referee 1: Mauricio Lozada (ECU)
Assistant Referee 2: Rie Rasmussen (DEN)
Fourth Official: Julie Thomsen (DEN)
2026 UEFA Development Tournament Standings - Türkiye
| TEAM | GP | W | L | D | GF | GA | GD | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spain | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | +2 | 3 |
| Denmark | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | +1 | 3 |
| England | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | -1 | 0 |
| USA | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | -2 | 0 |