Zoe Redei and the USWNT U-17s failed to qualify for the World Cup. (Photo: CONCACAF.com)
The United States U-17 women’s national team has missed out on the World Cup for the second time in three cycles after being stunned by Mexico, 4-2 on penalty kicks.
After a 1-1 regulation finish in the CONCACAF U-17 Women’s Championship, the game went straight to penalty kicks per FIFA youth tournament rules. “In 2011, the Executive Committee abolished extra time for the FIFA U-17 World Cup and the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup after a proposal put forward by the Medical Committee and the FIFA Task Force Football 2014,” reads the FIFA rulebook.
Mexico advances to Saturday’s final to face the winner of the second semifinal between Canada and Jamaica, but more importantly, qualify for the 2014 U-17 Women’s World Cup in Costa Rica. This will be Mexico’s third U-17 Women’s World cup. Canada also advanced to the World Cup with a 5-0 thumping of qualifying host Jamaica.
The U-17 U.S. women failed to qualify for the 2010 World Cup after rolling through the group stage with a goal difference of 38-0, but they played to a 0-0 draw with Canada after extra time in a CONCACAF semifinal and lost on penalty kicks. That was the first time any U.S. women’s team has failed to qualify for a World Cup at any age level. The U.S. U-17 have never officially lost a CONCACAF Championship game, but have advanced to only two of the four all-time tournaments.
Last year, the U-17 U.S. women failed to get out of their World Cup group due to goal differential.
Mexico’s Briana Woodall stunned the United States with a 5th minute goal, but Madison Hayley pulled one back for the U.S. 20 minutes later. Woodall was left unmarked in the box as she buried a header over U.S. goalkeeper Lauren Rood. The goal was the first given up by any U.S. U-17 women’s team in the last 1,223 minutes of CONCACAF World Cup qualifying.
Hayley got in behind on a breakaway for the U.S. nine minutes later, but pushed her shot wide of the far post. Hayley had a header in the 18th minute that also went wide as the Americans pressed for an equalizer.
Hayley eventually scored in the 26th minute, when Mallory Pugh dribbled to the endline and played a ball back to Hayley for the tap-in to notch the game at 1-1.
Rood was on the wrong end of a rare call in the 58th minute when the referee determined the American goalkeeper held the ball for too long, but Rood made the save on the ensuing indirect kick.
The game remained scoreless until penalty kicks, where Americans Taylor Racioppi and Zoe Morse each had their penalty kicks saved by Emily Sofìa Alvarado.
-U.S. Under-17 Women’s National Team Match Report-
Match: U.S. U-17 Women’s National Team vs. Mexico
Date: Nov. 7, 2013
Competition: CONCACAF Women’s U-17 Championship – Semifinal
Venue: Montego Bay Sports Complex; Montego Bay, Jamaica
Kickoff: 3 p.m. ET
Attendance: 1,200
Weather: 85 degrees, humid
Scoring Summary: 1 2 F PK
USA 1 0 1 2
MEX 1 0 1 4
MEX – Briana Woodall (Janae Gonzalez) 5th minute
USA – Madison Haley (Mallory Pugh) 27
Penalty Summary:
MEX: Rebeca Bernal (goal), Eva Gonzalez (goal), Miriam Garcia (goal), Arlett Tovar (goal)
USA: Taylor Racioppi (saved), Tegan McGrady (goal), Mallory Pugh (goal), Zoe Morse (saved)
Lineups:
USA: 1-Lauren Rood; 10-Ellie Jean (capt.), 9-Zoe Morse, 6-Natalie Jacobs, 12-Tegan McGrady; 4-Marley Canales, 2-Dorian Bailey (14-Taylor Racioppi, 65), 15-Zoe Redei; 19-Anika Rodriguez (7-Mia Gyau, 83), 3-Madison Haley (8-Kelcie Hedge, 75), 17-Mallory Pugh
Subs Not Used: 5-Gabriella Carreiro, 11-Civana Kuhlmann, 13-Taylor Otto, 18-Kat Hess, 22-Maddy Schultz, 25-Frankie Tagliaferri
Head Coach: B.J. Snow
MEX: 1-Emily Alvarado; 2-Miriam García, 3-Vanessa Flores, 4-Rebeca Bernal, 13-Monica Rodriguez; 6-Eva Gonzalez, 8-Briana Woodall, 18-Belen Cruz, 9-Janae Gonzalez (5-Alma Martinez, 72); 10-Betzy Cuevas (14-Arlett Tovar, 46), 16-Cinthia Huerta (11-Montserrat Hernandez, 80)
Subs Not Used: 7-Aylin Villalobos, 12-Miriam Aguirre, 15-Jessica Moreno, 17-Natalia Villarreal, 19-Marianna Maldonado, 20-Jaqueline García
Head Coach: Leo Cuellar
Stats Summary: USA / MEX
Shots: 10 / 6
Shots on Goal: 4 / 3
Saves: 2 / 3
Corner Kicks: 11 / 2
Fouls: 11 / 8
Offside: 7 / 1
Misconduct Summary:
USA – Taylor Racioppi (caution) 86th minute
Officials:
Referee: Melissa Borjas (HON)
Assistant Referee 1: Nykasie Liverpool (GUY)
Assistant Referee 2: Neredia Diaz (CUB)
Fourth Official: Sheena Dickson (CAN)
