MORTAGNE-SUR-SÈVRE, FRANCE (April 9, 2023) – The U.S. Under-16 Women’s Youth National Team completed an impressive four-game run at the Mondial Montaigu Football Tournament with a 1-0 victory over host France in the championship game.
On its way to the tournament title, the USA defeated Portugal, 4-1, and Norway, 4-0, in group play and downed France, 3-0, in a friendly that did not count in the tournament standings.
In the title game, the USA scored the lone goal of the contest in the 54th minute when midfielder Kennedy Fuller, who earned tournament’s Best Player honors, one-timed pass out the air to forward Alexandra Pfeiffer. The St. Louis Scott Gallagher striker took on a defender and then cut inside before powering her shot into the upper corner from outside the penalty area.
In the six-team competition, Japan downed Portugal in extra time, 2-1, to finish third and Mexico defeated Norway, 3-0, to finish fifth.
All the players on the U.S. roster were born in 2007, which is the birth year that forms the primary age group working to earn a berth to the 2024 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.
-- U.S. UNDER-16 YOUTH WOMEN’S NATIONAL TEAM MATCH REPORT --
Match: United States U-16 Women's Youth National Team vs. France U-16 Women’s National Team
Date: April 9, 2023
Competition: Mondial Montaigu Women's Tournament
Venue: Complexe Maxime Bossis; Mortagne-sur-Sèvre, France
Weather: 65 degrees, partly cloudy
Scoring Summary: 1 2 F
USA 0 1 1
FRA 0 0 0
USA – Alexandra Pfeiffer (Kennedy Fuller) 54th minute
Lineups:
USA: 1-Molly Vapensky, 8-Daya King, 5-Jordyn Hardeman, 19-Kai Price (2-Alexis Coughlin, 41); 4-Mya Brandon (3-Katherine Scott, 70); 13-Ainsley McCammon (Capt.), 15-Y-Lan Nguyen (6-Trinity Armstrong, 41); 10-Kennedy Fuller, 11-Zoe Matthews (Alexandra Pfeiffer, 22); 14-Mya Townes, 7-Ayva Jordan (16-Madeline Padelski, 57).
Subs not used: 9-Tessa Knapp, 12-Kennedy Zorn, 17-Kiara Gilmore, 20-Caroline Helfrich
Head Coach: Patchy Toledo
FRA: 1-Ceylin Yilmaz, 3-Ornella Graziani, 6-Kenza Dufour, 7-Celia Chabod, 8-Messina Fouda, 9-Louna Lemort, 12-Maelle Richelandet, 15-Valentine Sellenet, 17-Ambre Ouazar (Capt.) (20-Meline Rubio, 68), 18-Lea Syljmani (10-Lina Gay, 54), 19-Justine Rouquet (22-Djenna Tenes, 54), 23-Auryane Abdourahim (21-Kentissia Bacoul, 28)
Subs not used: 2-Alaia Peltier, 4-Melia Bourdoncle, 5-Sarah Compaore, 7-Malin Book, 11-Lina Greve, 13-Olivia Rotimi, 14-Leane Lescop, 16-Louise Demarest
Stats Summary: USA / FRA
Shots: 8 / 11
Shots on Goal: 5 / 4
Saves: 4 / 4
Corner Kicks: 4 / 5
Fouls: 6 / 4
Offside: 4 / 1
Misconduct Summary:
None