U.S. Under-16 Girls’ National Team Defeats Mexico, 3-0, at Arthur M. Blank U.S. Soccer National Training Center

FAYETTEVILLE, Ga. -- The U.S. Under-16 Girls’ National Team defeated regional rival Mexico, 3-0, with goals from defender Lilly Yakel, forward Anaya Bursey and forward Addison Staats.

The match was played at the Arthur M. Blank U.S. Soccer National Training Center and was the first of two between the Concacaf countries during this training camp. The teams will meet again at the National Training Center on Aug. 1.

This group of players is training to qualify for the 2027 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup. This match was the 10th international game of the year for U.S. U-16 GNT and the USA opened the scoring midway through the first half via an outside back. Yakel received the ball on the right wing and dribbled inside to beat three players to the top of the penalty box. She then struck the ball with her left foot into the bottom right corner of the net past diving Mexico goalkeeper Libni Carmona. It was Yakel’s first international goal at the U-16 level in her fourth cap.

The USA doubled its lead in the first minute of first half stoppage time. Mexico was building out of the back and tried to play a ball from their center back to their defensive midfielder near midfield. Forward Kayleigh Cabigon, who leads the U.S. U-16s with six goals in 2026, read the pass and intercepted it. She then played a through ball to fellow forward Bursey on the right as she was making a run past the back line. Bursey took one touch and then shot the ball from just inside the 18-yard box into the left side netting, beating the onrushing Carmona. It was Bursey’s third international goal at the U-16 level in her seventh cap.

The young Americans sealed the match in the 81st minute with a sequence that started from a goal kick. The long ball went to center forward Elan Orrico, who collected at midfield. She turned and played a through ball centrally to Staats, who had entered the match in the 73rd minute. Staats then made a run diagonally while fighting off a Mexico defender. She took one touch to her right before striking the ball into the lower left side nettingat the far post. It was also her first goal at the U-16 WNT level in her fourth cap.

The USA has now compiled a record of 6W-2L-2D this year in games against European powers Germany, Belgium, Spain, Denmark, England, Netherlands and Sweden and Concacaf rival Mexico.

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. Mexico U-16 Girls’ National Team

Date: July 29, 2026

Competition: International Friendly

Venue: Arthur M. Blank U.S. Soccer National Training Center - Field #3; Fayetteville, Ga.

Weather: 90 degrees, sunny

Lineups:

USA: 12-Camille Barrett (21-Hannah Gorman, 76); 2-Cali Hejduk (3-Harper Remington, 63), 5-CassieTravers (Capt.) (23-Mercy Karson, 46), 4-Brielle Hopkins (15-Tian Ettelson, 63), 22-Lilly Yakel (18-Emma Sullivan, 73); 16-Avery Walbruch (14-Natalia Hanson, 73), 20-Valentina Perrotta (8-Zoey Nelson, 46) (13-Kiyomi Yoshimura, 76), 10-Flo Ibsen (6-Hannah Yu, 63); 7-Dylan Ohm (17-Addison Staats, 73), 9-Kayleigh Cabigon (19-Elan Orrico, 46), 11-Anaya Bursey (24-Ava Penn, 63)

Subs not used: 1-Carmen O’Dea

Head Coach: Katie Schoepfer

MEX: 1-Libni Carmona; 2-Daniella Fregoso (21-Nahomi Soto, 60), 4-Victoria Frausto (Capt.), 17-Izabella Acosta (20-Sofia San Roman, 46), 3-Jimena Hernandez; 6-Veronica Hurtado (16-Maria Garcia, 46), 8-KaiyahMata (5-Amina Cook, 80), 10-Valentina Reyes; 7-Arya Pfeifer (11-Estrella Acosta, 60), 9-Valeria Medina (19-Karla Jimenez, 73), 15-Renata Ramirez (22-Megan Robles, 46)

Subs not used: 12-Hilen Gallegos, 13-Natalieee Granados, 14-Ami Chavira, 18-Karen Montano, 23-Kylie Guerrero

Head Coach: Guillermo Fontes

Stats Summary: USA / MEX  

Shots: 10 / 4

Shots on Goal: 5 / 3

Saves: 3 / 2

Corner Kicks: 4 / 3

Fouls: 6 / 2

Offside: 3 / 1

Officials:

Referee: Shevah Rezaee (USA)

Assistant Referee 1: Elena Miller (USA)

Assistant Referee 2: Holly Jimenez (USA)

Fourth Official: Skylar Dzenis (USA)