SALÉ, Morocco (Oct. 29, 2026) – The U.S. Under-17 Women’s National Team put together a performance filled with grit and guts to down two-time FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup champion Spain, 2-1, and advance to the quarterfinals of this year’s tournament where the young Americans will face another multiple-time champion, Korea DPR, on Nov. 1 (3 p.m. ET). Forwards Deus Stanislaus and Maddie DiMaria scored at the end of the first half to earn the USA one of its greatest victories in this tournament’s history.
Spain dominated the flow of the match, maintaining over 70% of possession and outshot the Americans 20-4, but the U.S. capitalized on both of its first two chances late in the first half and made crucial defensive plays throughout the second half to preserve its lead and return to the quarterfinals for the first time since 2022 when the USA finished third in the world. Spain put just four shots on target. The USA had three shots on goal and scored twice.
An extremely talented La Roja had all the momentum in the first half, but it was the U.S. who got on the board first. On a recycled corner kick in the 43rd minute, midfielder Loradana Paletta collected the ball at the top of the box and played it back to defender Anaiah Williams about 30 yards out. Williams lofted a pass towards the penalty spot where Stanislaus darted behind the Spain defense to get a foot on the ball right in front of the diving Spanish goalkeeper Antia Veiga, sending her volley off the left post and just over the goal line before a Spanish defender could clear it. Stanislaus was originally called offside, but the referee reviewed the play via the Video Support System and ruled Stanislaus onside and that the ball fully crossed the goal line. Wild celebrations ensued as the USA had scored on its first shot of the game.
The U.S. doubled the lead just five minutes later after forward Amari Manning sent a through-ball from the center circle down the right flank. DiMaria raced alongside Spanish defender Iraia Fernandez, who to that point had done a good job keeping the speedy winger under wraps, but this time DiMaria won the ball, nudging the Spanish defender aside, before continuing her run inside the box. DiMaria then cut inside to her left foot at the edge of the six-yard box and blasted a shot past Veiga inside the far post to extend her tournament record to 12 goals in this tournament and the U.S. lead to two. It was a world class goal worthy of the moment.
Spain kept the pressure on in the second half and forced two big saves out of American goalkeeper Avellina Saunders, including on a curling free kick from 25 yards out that the 15-year-old pushed aside in the 66th minute. La Roja finally got one past Saunders in the 71st minute when Spanish captain Vera Molina snaked through traffic down the middle of the field before taking a low shot from just outside the penalty arc that deflected off a U.S. defender and snuck into the bottom right corner of the goal.
From then on, it was a battle of the USA’s courage against the consistent attacks of Spain, the current FIFA Women’s World Cup and FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup champions.
Spain searched for the equalizer in the final 20 minutes of regulation plus eight minutes of stoppage time, primarily through the left side, but stout defending and multiple clearances by the U.S. backline of Williams, team captain Meila Brewer, Venina Moodie and five-foot outside back Kendra Hansen, who was a beast in her ball-winning all night, helped the U.S. preserve the win. Paletta, who is also 15, played a spectacular match in the midfield for the USA on both sides of the field and was named Player of the Match.
The U.S. appeared to have won a penalty kick in the 82nd minute after Veiga brought down DiMaria inside the box, but another video review showed the goalkeeper got a touch on the ball just before the contact with DiMaria and the call was overturned.
DiMaria nearly scored a clincher in the second minute of stoppage time. Racing down the right flank, she made a move past her defender and cut inside the box before unleashing a low left-footed shot with pace. Veiga dove for an impressive one-handed save, pushing the ball off the post before collecting it right in front of the goal line.
Spain fought hard to tie the game, but the final whistle blew, the Spanish players fell to their knees and the U.S. team dogpiled in celebration over the epic win.
USA – DEUS STANISLAUS (ANAIAH WILLIAMS) 43rd minute – On the USA’s only corner kick of the match, Spain attempted to clear the cross, but Loradana Paletta won the ball back at the top of the box and played it back to Williams. The defender lofted a pass back inside the box near the penalty spot, where Stanislaus got behind Spain’s backline and bravely volleyed the ball off the inside of the left post and over the goal line.
USA – MADDIE DIMARIA 45+3rd minute – Forward Amari Manning played a ball down the right flank for Maddie DiMaria, who ran Spanish defender Iraia Fernandez off the ball. DiMaria raced towards the goal line with Fernandez in tow, cut inside to create space and crushed a left-footed shot from the edge of the six-yard box just inside the far post.
ESP – VERA MOLINA (CAROLINA FERRERA) 71st minute – Spain won possession at midfield and connected central passes before Molina, Spain’s captain, began dribbling through traffic up the field. She hit a low right-footed shot from 20 yards out that took a deflection on its way into the bottom right corner.
Additional Notes:
Match: United States Under-17 Women’s National Team vs. Spain U-17 WNT
Date: Oct. 29, 2026
Competition: 2026 FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup — Round of 16
Venue: Mohammed VI Football Complex – Field 4; Salé, Morocco
Attendance: 462
Kickoff: 6 p.m. ET
Weather: 73 degrees, clear skies
| Scoring Summary | 1 | 2 | F |
| USA | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| ESP | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| USA – Deus Stanislaus (Anaiah Williams) | 43rd minute |
| USA – Maddie DiMaria | 45+3 |
| ESP – Vera Molina (Carolina Ferrera) | 71 |
Lineups:
USA: 1-Avellina Saunders; 4-Kendra Hansen, 6-Anaiah Williams, 5-Meila Brewer (Capt.), 13-Venina Moodie; 16-Grace Murray, 8-Loradana Paletta, 10-Mia Corona (20-Isa Ortiz, 69); 7-Maddie DiMaria, 9-Deus Stanislaus (17-Carolina Reyna, 69), 11-Amari Manning (19-Gianna Hanf, 88)
Substitutes not used: 2-Gigi Zuniga, 3-Maddie Maves, 12-Alexis Fischer, 14-Jordyn Sullivan, 15-Cassie Travers, 18-Jordyn Heathcock, 21-Kathy Long Capell
Head Coach: Ciara Crinion
ESP: 21-Goiatz Ferraz; 2-Maialen Valladares, 4-Abril Diaz, 20-Maddi Martin (4-Maria Aymerich, 86); 8-Laia Cabetas (18-Uzuri Cadenato, 90+4), 10-Vera Molina (Capt.), 12-Angela Galvez, 15-Carolina Ferrera, 16-Elena Vizuete; 17-Iraia Fernandez, 18-Rocio Elain De La Cruz (9-Maria Rius, 72)
Substitutes not used: 1-Anita Veiga, 3-Marta Vega, 5-Abril Rius, 6-Avril Serrano, 11-Bruna Quintana, 13-Nuria Carracedo
Not Dressing: 7-Lidia Gibert
Head coach: Mila Martinez
Stats Summary: USA / ESP
Shots: 4 / 20
Shots on Goal: 3 / 4
Saves: 2 / 2
Corner Kicks: 1 / 10
Fouls: 18 / 6
Offside: 3 / 0
| Misconduct Summary | |
| USA – Anaiah Williams (Caution) | 54th minute |
| USA – Dues Stanislaus (Caution) | 64 |
| ESP – Abril Diaz (Caution) | 76 |
Officials:
Referee: Dong Fangyu (CHN)
AR1: Xie Lijun (CHN)
AR2: Bao Mengxiao (CHN)
4th Official: Oh Hyeonjeong (KOR)
Reserve Assistant Referee: Wongkraison Suwida (THA)