VITTSJO, Sweden (June 28, 2022) – The USA’s U-23 women’s youth national team put together an excellent 90-minute performance to defeat host Sweden, 3-0, in the second of two matches in the Women’s U-23 Three-Nations Tournament.
The United States also defeated India, 4-1, on June 25. These were the first international matches for US U23 WYNT since the autumn of 2019 due to a break in programming during the covid-19 pandemic.
The match went almost to a break without points, but the Americans scored in the final minutes of the first half. The goal came on a counterattack after a Sweden corner where forward Alyssa Thompson won the loose ball in midfield and accelerated past a defender. She dribbled to the top of the penalty area and released a shot that was hit by the keeper, but Thompson was the first to return and ended the loose ball with a tap-in.
The United States doubled its lead to 57th Minute after midfielder Croix Bethune slid forward Ava Cook behind the defense and she finished while sliding to hit the goalkeeper.
USA tricked the match at 77th minute on a lightning pass as the Americans released pressure on the midfield with a quick series of passes. The sprinter midfielder Samantha Meza, who skillfully moved the ball around a defender and sprinted down the right wing. She then crossed a perfect pass to the top of the penalty area for Kerry Abello, who cut the inside back to her weaker right foot and crawled a shot beautifully into the upper right corner.
The goals were the first at U-23 international level for Thompson and Abello, and second for Cook, who also scored against India.
The US list for this trip consisted of eight current National Women’s Soccer League players, 12 collegiate players and a youth club player in Thompson, who plays for a boys’ team from the Total Futbol Academy in Los Angeles.
The U-23s were coached by Jené Baclawski, the former technical director of the South Texas Youth Soccer Association and the current United States football coach who also heads the American Football Show SheBelieves Cup MVP selection committee.
American U23 national team match report for women-
Match: United States U-23 Women’s Youth National Team vs Sweden U-23 Women’s National Team
Date: June 28, 2022
Competition: Internationally friendly
Venue: Vittsjö IP; Vittsjö, Sweden
Weather: 75 degrees, clear skies
Presence: 824
Summary of results: 1 2 F
USA 1 2 3
ENG 0 0 0
USA – Alyssa Thompson 45th Minute
USA – Ava Cook (Croix Bethune) 57
USA – Kerry Abello (Samantha Meza) 77
Team lineups:
USA: 22-Shelby Hogan; 2-Emily Madril, 4-Taryn Torres (6-Sierra Enge, 61), 5-Megan Bornkamp, 3-Kerry Abello, 8-Brianna Pinto (Capt.), 16-Mikayla Cluff (18-Hannah Bebar, 61 ), 10-Croix Bethune (20-Jenna Nighswonger, 75), 21-Alyssa Thompson (14-Samantha Meza, 75), 11-anna Heilferty (13-Kate Wiesner, 75), 9-Ava Cook (19-Messiah Bright , 61))
Unused substitutes: 1-Ruthie Jones, 7-Alexa Spaanstra, 17-Brianna Martinez
Head coach: Jene Baclawski
SWE: 1-Emma Lind; 2-Hanna Lundkvist (17-Molly Johansson, 76), 3-Josefine Rybrink, 4-Josefin Harrysson, 5-Ebba Hed (23-Emma Ostlund, 76), 20-Linn Vickius (14-Nellie Lilja, 40), 6 -Freja Olofsson, 8-Marika Bergman Lundin (15-Alva Selerud, 68), 7-Cornelia Kapocs, 9-Emilia Larsson (11-Paulina Nyström, 68), 18-Beatrice Persson (16-Beata Olsson, 46)
Unused substitutes: 10-Loreta Kullashi, 12-Angel Mukasa, 13-Felicia Saving, 19-Wilma Carlsson, 21-Somea Polozen, 22-Zara Jonsson.
Head coach: Martin Möller
Summary of statistics: USA / SWE
Shot: 13/7
Shot on goal: 8/1
Saves: 1/5
Corner kick: 3/1
Violation of the rules: 5/6
Offside: 1/2
Summary of irregularities:
SWE – Nellie Lilja (Cution) 68th Minute
Officials:
Referee: Minka Vekkeli (Finland)
Assistant Judge 1: Laura Koskinen (Finland)
Assistant Judge 2: Alisa Levelampi (Finland)
Fourth official: Sofie Borck Janeheim (Finland)