U.S. U-19 women sweep in China; U-16 girls split with Germany; U-17 boys get final pre-World Cup look

• by Mike Woitalla  @MikeWoitalla, Sep 18, 2017

A tournament win in China for the U.S. U-19 national included the second meeting in history between female national teams of Iran and the USA. The first came when the U.S. U-16 girls beat Iran, 6-0, at the Torneo Delle Nazioni in Italy in April of 2016. … The U.S. U-16 girls beat their German counterparts, 4-0, in Lower Saxony in front of a crowd of more than 3,000 that included Richard Yoneoka, the U.S. Consul General to Northern Germany. … Coach John Hackworth is taking one more look at his player pool before announcing his roster for the 2017 U-17 World Cup, where the USA opens against host India (Oct. 6) before facing Ghana (Oct. 9) and Colombia (Oct. 12) in Group A.

U.S. U-19 women beat Japan, China and Iran

The U.S. U-19 women’s national team, coached by Keri Sarver, won the China FA International Youth Tournament with wins over Japan (1-0), China (2-1) and Iran (5-0). Forward Alexa Spaanstra of the Michigan Hawks was named tournament MVP and Claudia Dickey  (Charlotte Soccer Academy) was named top keeper.

Spaanstra scored one goal and assisted twice against Iran -- the win that clinched the title for the USA -- and scored the gamewinner against China.

Brianna Pinto (CASL) scored the USA’s fourth goal against Iran and the gamewinner against Japan.

Sept 14 in Dunyun, China
USA 5 Iran 0
Goals: Holmes (Alexa) 13, Spaanstra 21, Dyke (Wiesner) 67, Pinto (Shae Holmes) 77, Canniff (Alexa Spaanstra) 86.
USA lineup — McClelland; Girma (Dawson, 63), Bell, Desiano (Wiesner, 46), Holmes, Dyke, Gray (Pinto, 46), Nighswonger (Wheeler, 26), Canniff, Spaanstra, Gambone (Yates, 72).
Att.: 1,000

Sept. 12 Dunyun, China
China 2 USA 1
Goals: Dou Jiaxing (pen.) 85, Nighswonger 77, Spaanstra 90.
USA lineup: Dickey; Dawson, Girma, Martinez, Wiesner (Holmes, 46), Howell, Yates (Dyke, 61), Pinto (Nighswonger, 74), Jones (Canniff, 61), Brewster (Spaanstra, 82), Smith
Att.: 4,888

Sept. 10, 2017
USA 1 Japan 0
Goal: Pinto (Brewster) 64.
USA lineup — Dickey; Dawson, Girma, Martinez, Holmes (Wiesner, 63),Howell (Nighswonger, 74),Yates (Dyke, 63), Pinto, Jones (Canniff, 83), Brewster, Smith (Spaanstra, 74)
Att.: n/a

U.S. U-19 women’s national team
GOALKEEPERS (2): Claudia Dickey (Charlotte Soccer Academy; Charlotte, N.C.), Meagan McClelland (Sky Blue-PDA; Kearny, N.J.).
DEFENDERS (7): Maycee Bell (Sporting Blue Valley; Wichita, Kan.), Sydney Dawson (Internationals SC; Akron, Ohio), Madelyn Desiano (So Cal Blue Soccer Club; San Clemente, Calif.), Naomi Girma (California Thorns FC; San Jose, Calif.), Shae Holmes (Real Colorado; Highland Ranch, Colo.), Brianna Martinez (New Mexico Rush; Albuquerque, N.M.), Kate Wiesner (LAFC Slammers; Monrovia, Calif.).
MIDFIELDERS (7): Cori Dyke (Colorado Rush; Littleton, Colo.), Emily Gray (Penn Fusion; Sewell, N.J.), Jaelin Howell (Real Colorado; Windsor, Colo.), Jenna Nighswonger (LAFC Slammers; Huntington Beach, Calif.), Brianna Pinto (CASL; Durham, N.C.), Astrid Wheeler (Concorde Fire; Atlanta, Ga.), Summer Yates (Pacific NW; Pasco, Wash.).
FORWARDS (6): Jordan Brewster (Internationals SC; North Canton, Ohio), Jordan Canniff (Washington Spirit Academy – Baltimore Armour; California, Md.), Aleigh Gambone (Texas Rush; El Paso, Texas), Rachel Jones (NTH Tophat; Lawrenceville, Ga.), Sophia Smith (Real Colorado; Windsor, Colo.), Alexa Spaanstra (Michigan Hawks; Brighton, Mich.).

U.S. U-16 girls rebound to rout Germany

The U.S. U-16 girls national team, coached by Kacey White, beat Germany, 4-0, in Wildeshausen, two days after losing to the Germans, 4-0. In the victory, in front of a crowd of more than 3,000, Samantha Kroeger opened the scoring after four minutes and Trinity Rodman struck 15 minutes later.

Reilyn Turner and Makenna Morris scored in the second half. U.S. goalkeeper Leah Freeman made a spectacular diving save to preserve the shutout on German captain Gia Corley’s 22-yard shot.

Sept. 14 in Wildeshausen, Germany
Germany 0 USA 4.
Goals: Kroegen 4, Rodman 19, Turner 50, Morris 81+ (pen).
Germany — Nelles, Schumacher (Philipzen, 65), Bernhardt, Steck, von Achten, Weber (von Achten, 41), Beyer, Klensmann (Hahn, 41), Fetaj, Woldmann (Reimann, 41), Corley (Ziegler, 65).
USA — Freeman, Colbert Morris, Guidry (Torbert, 71), Hunter, Rosenbaum (Dudley, 71), Crowder (Cooper, 50, DellaPeruta, Kroeger (Sentnor, 56), Turner (Heredia-Beltran, 71), Rodman.
Att.: 3,168

Sept. 12 in Grossenkneten, Germany
Germany 4 USA 0.
Goals: Klensmann 20, Corley 36, Woldmann 40, Hahn 80.
Germany — Nelles; Reimann, Steck (Bernhardt, 41), Machtens (Ezebinyuo, 41), Fetaj (Weber, 41); Schumacher (Beyer, 41), Klensmann (von Achten, 41), Woldmann (von Achten, 41), Zilger; Krall, Corley (Hahn, 60).
USA — Justus (Freeman, 41); Hunter, Guidry, Groff (Colbert, 30), Morris; Graham (Dudley, 61), Dellaperuta (Rosenbaum, 41), Crowder (Fung, 61); Cooper (Rodman, 41), Sentnor (Turner, 41), Kroeger (Heredia-Beltran, 41).
Att.: n/a

U.S. U-16 girls national team
GOALKEEPERS (2): Leah Freeman (Mustang; Berkeley, Calif.), Mia Justus (Sky Blue-PDA; North Brunswick, N.J.).
DEFENDERS (6): Kayla Colbert (Legends FC; Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.), Caroline Gray (Concorde Fire; Johns Creek, Ga.), Katherine Groff (NC Courage; Raleigh, N.C.), Samar Guidry (FC Dallas; McKinney, Texas), Makenna Morris (Bethesda SC; Germantown, Md.), Smith Hunter (Reign Academy; Seattle, Wash.).
MIDFIELDERS (7): Aislynn Crowder (Hawaii Rush; Mililani, Hawaii), Devi Dudley (La Roca Futbol Club; American Fork, Utah), Tatiana Fung (LAFC Slammers; Fullerton, Calif.), Maggie Graham (NTH Tophat; Atlanta, Ga.), Samantha Kroeger (World Class FC; West Milford, N.J.), Michaela Rosenbaum (Santa Rosa United; Santa Rosa, Calif.), Allyson Sentnor (South Shore Select; Hanson, Mass.).
FORWARDS (5): Michelle Cooper (Michigan Hawks; Canton, Mich.), Talia DellaPeruta (NTH Tophat; Cumming, Ga.), Dilary Heredia-Beltran (Sporting Blue Valley; Overland Park, Kansas), Trinity Rodman (So Cal Blues; Newport Beach, Calif.), Reilyn Turner (So Cal Blues; Aliso Viejo, Calif.).

U.S. U-17 roster includes 15-year-old George Bello

A few days before he will announce the USA's 21-player roster for the 2017 U-17 World Cup, Coach John Hackworth has called in 23 players for a Sept. 19-24 training camp in Bradenton, Florida. The squad includes 15-year-old Atlanta United defender George Bello.

Sixteen of the players in camp were on the USA’s 20-player roster during its runner-up finish at the Concacaf U-17 Championship that served as World Cup qualifying. The four not in camp are: defender Arturo Vasquez, midfielder Adrian Villegas and forwards Zyen Jones and Timothy Weah.

Weah, however, is likely to join the World Cup roster from France, where he is starring for Paris St. Germain’s U-19s. He signed a three-year pro contract with PSG last July and also is playing for PSG's reserve team in the French fourth division.

Three players on the World Cup roster must be goalkeepers. Alex Budnik of Sockers FC is the keeper currently in camp who wasn’t part of qualifying.

The other players in camp who weren’t part of qualifying are Netherlands-based Sergino Dest, Los Angeles Galaxy forward Ulysses Llanez, NYCFC defender Tyler Shaver, Galaxy midfielder Alex Mendez and Bello.

Bello had been playing for the U.S. U-15s, who last month finished runner-up to Mexico at the Concacaf U-15 Championship. He was this year’s Development Academy U-14/16 East Conference Player of the Year and in June signed a Homegrown contract with Atlanta United, which goes into effect Jan. 1, 2018.

The USA opens the U-17 World Cup against India on Oct. 6.

U.S. U-17 national team
GOALKEEPERS (3): Alex Budnik (Sockers FC; Arlington Heights, Ill.), Carlos Joaquim Dos Santos (Benfica/POR; Philadelphia, Pa. ), Justin Garces (Atlanta United FC academy; Miami, Fla.).
DEFENDERS (9): George Bello (Atlanta United FC, Douglasville, Ga.), Sergino Dest (Ajax; Almere-stad, Netherlands), Christopher Durkin (D.C. United; Glen Allen, Va.), Christopher Gloster (New York Red Bulls academy; Montclair, N.J.), Jaylin Lindsey (Sporting Kansas City; Charlotte, N.C.), James Sands (New York City FC; Rye, N.Y.), Tyler Shaver (New York City FC academy; Greenwich, Conn.), Akil Watts (Portland Timbers academy, Fort Wayne, Ind.).
MIDFIELDERS (6): George Acosta (North Carolina FC; Hollywood, Fla.), Taylor Booth (Real Salt Lake academy; Eden, Utah), Blaine Ferri (Solar Soccer Club; Southlake, Texas), Chris Goslin (Atlanta United FC; Locust Grove, Ga.), Alex Mendez (LA Galaxy academy; Los Angeles, Calif.), Indiana Vassilev (Unattached; Savannah, Ga.).
FORWARDS (6): Ayo Akinola (Toronto FC academy; Brampton Ont.), Andrew Carleton (Atlanta United FC; Powder Springs, Ga.), Ulysses Llanez (LA Galaxy academy; Lynwood, Calif.), Jacobo Reyes (Monterrey/MEX; Houston, Texas), Bryan Reynolds (FC Dallas; Little Elm, Texas), Joshua Sargent (St. Louis Scott Gallagher Missouri; O'Fallon, Mo.).