U.S. Under-16 Girls’ National Team Seals L'Albir WU16 2026 International Friendly Tournament Title With 4-1 Win Over Sweden
Kayleigh Cabigon Scores a Hat Trick; Isabella Ortiz Scores Final Goal; Hejduk, Bursey and Gardner Earn Assists
ALBIR, Spain (April 28, 2026) -- The U.S. Under-16 Girls’ National Team defeated Sweden 4-1 in the final match for both teams at the L'Albir WU16 2026 International Friendly Tournament. The victory clinched the overall tournament title for the USA. Forward Kayleigh Cabigon buried a hat trick, followed by a goal from midfielder Isabella Ortiz.
Both the USA and the Netherlands, which drew 0-0 in the first match of the tournament, finished the tournament with seven points, but the USA’s three-goal victory over Sweden was key to the Americans earning a plus-five goal difference to plus-2 for the Dutch. The Netherlands defeated Spain 2-1, in the other match of the day.
The U.S. controlled the match throughout, scoring the first goal in the seventh minute. Defender Cali Hejduk dribbled down the left flank into the final third and played a firm pass to Cabigon at the top of the 18-yard box. Cabigon’s first touch chipped the ball forward into the box and she beat her defender before she slotted her shot low at pace inside the far post.
Sweden answered just over ten minutes later, forcing an opportunity with their defensive press as the U.S. was looking to build out of the back. Forward Anaya Bursey took a heavy touch centrally to beat her defender, but Sweden’s Maja Jernström read the ball and won it. She immediately took a touch past a closing defender just outside the box, before rocketing the ball into the bottom right corner past diving U.S. goalkeeper Kaylin Hoffman.
Bursey would continue to push for the U.S., though. In the 41st minute, she dribbled to the end line and slotted a ball across the face of the goal to Cabigon, who one-touched it past the ‘keeper into the net from the top of the six-yard box for her second goal of the morning.
In the second half, Sweden conceded a penalty kick with a foul on midfielder Avery Walbruch during a U.S. corner kick attempt. Cabigon stepped up to the spot to complete her hat trick. Sweden goalkeeper Ellie Röhr got a hand to the ball but it wasn’t enough to keep it out of the net.
The final goal came when the U.S. high pressed a Sweden throw-in leading to a turnover in the midfield. Immediately, forward Koi Edwards, who had come into the game 12 minutes earlier, sprayed the ball wide left halftime to substitute Tatum Gardner, who played the ball into space for Ortiz, who was making a run behind the defenders. Ortiz took on Röhr one-on-one, took a big touch to left around her and rolled the ball into the goal.
The USA is now 4W-2L-2T over the eight games in 2026 against the likes of Germany, Belgium, Spain, Denmark, England and the Netherlands.
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.
The camp and 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. Sweden U-16 Girls’ National Team
Date: April 28, 2026
Competition: L'Albir WU16 2026 International Friendly Tournament
Venue: Field #3 – Albir Garden Resort Pitch, Albir, Spain
Weather: 71 degrees, partly cloudy and windy
| Scoring Summary | 1 | 2 | F |
| USA | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| SWE | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| USA – Kayleigh Cabigon (Cali Hejduk) | 7th minute |
| SWE – Maja Jernström | 18 |
| USA – Kayleigh Cabigon (Anaya Bursey) | 41 |
| USA – Kayleigh Cabigon (Penalty Kick) | 63 |
| USA – Isabella Ortiz (Tatum Gardner) | 86 |
Lineups:
USA: 12-Kaylin Hoffman; 20-Cali Hejduk, 5-Mercy Karson (16-Dorothea Perry, 65), 4-Madison Kline (Capt.) (14-Brielle Hopkins, 80), 6-Cassandra Travers; 2-Avery Walbruch, 15-Samaya Khaleel (13-Sadie Siedel, 65), 17-Valentina Perrotta (10- Isabella Ortiz, 72); 9-Anaya Bursey (3-Caroline Barrow, 65), 11-Dylan Ohm (7-Tatum Gardner, 45), 18-Kayleigh Cabigon (19-Koi Edwards, 72)
Subs not used: 1-Gabriella Gjeldum. 8-Carolyn Voss
Head Coach: Katie Schoepfer
SWE: 1-Ellie Röhr; 4-Nora Blom (Capt.), 5-Lisa Ek (2-Lisen Wilson, 76), 15-Ebba Sunnanväder, 22-Elvira Wide (13-Lilly Kisch, 76); 6-Amanda Cannehag (16-Elin Brügge, 61), 10-Emma Karlsson Eriksson (20-Leah Hellqvist, 81), 11-Maja Jernström (17-Estelle Lundberg, 76); 23-Maylin Sarmiento Lövgren (18-Elna Angus, 76), 7-Mayar Khatawi (8-Lily Berglund, 81), 19-Lovisa Lindell (9-Ronia Åbrink, 61).
Subs not used: 3-Havanna Borg, 12-Linnea Wallinder, 14-Stella Elfrid, 21-Ellen Tybell
Head Coach: Piérre Fondin
Stats Summary: USA / SWE
Shots: 18 / 4
Shots on Goal: 11 / 3
Saves: 2 / 7
Corner Kicks: 8 / 1
Fouls: 2 / 6
Offside: 0 / 2
Misconduct Summary:
None
Officials:
Referee: Luna Pastor Rollo (ESP)
Assistant Referee 1: Naiara Martínez Martínez (ESP)
Assistant Referee 2: Diana Ponce de León (ESP)
Fourth Official: Marta Medina Gambín (ESP)
2026 L'Albir WU16 2026 International Friendly Tournament Final Standings - Spain
| TEAM | GP | W | L | D | GF | GA | GD | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USA | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 2 | +5 | 7 |
| NED | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | +2 | 7 |
| ESP | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 3 | +2 | 3 |
| SWE | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 8 | -7 | 0 |