Fort Wayne United's Amelia White scores hat trick in U.S. U-15 girls' win over host China

• by Mike Woitalla  @MikeWoitalla, Aug 24, 2018

With a 5-0 win over host China, the USA clinched the U-15 Girls CFA International Tournament with a game to spare. Fort Wayne United's Amelia White, who also scored in the USA's 3-2 opening win over Japan, scored a hat trick against the Chinese. Simone Jackson (LAFC Slammers) and midfielder Jillian Shimkin (FC Fury NY) provided the other two strikes against China.

Standing (L to R): Tatiana Fung, Andrea Kitahata, Baleigh Bruster, Neeku Purcell, Kellie Pagador, Lilly Reale; Kneeling: Jillian Shimkin, Arianna Manrique, Riley Gleason, Amelia White, Annie Karich.

Shimkin opened the scoring after five minutes directly from a corner kick -- a Gol Olimpico.

The USA faces the Czech Republic on Sunday but has an insurmountable lead in the four-team round robin. The Czechs are out after a 6-0 loss to China and a 5-1 loss to Japan. With head-to-head results serving as the first tiebreaker after points, the outcome of Sunday's China-Japan game can't alter the USA's first-place position even if Coach Tracey Kevins' team falters against the Czechs.

Jackson scored with a volley off a cross from Arianna Manrique. Two of White's goals came after a solo run through the Chinese defense, and one on a breakaway.

Aug. 24 in Weifang, China
China 0 USA 5. Goals: Shimkin 5, White 13, Jackson (Manrique) 34, White (Jackson) 41, White 66.
China -- Hu Yongle; 14-Liu Xin (Jian Chenjing, 69), Shi Xiaomin (Wang Siqian, 43), Shao Zijia, Li Xiangzhen; Fu Congcong (Zhang Hongyan, 75), Chi Shiying (Chen Jiayu, 38), Wang Jingyi (Li Lanlan, 41), Dai Xinyao, Wang Yuling; Wang Xinling.
USA -- Purcell; Kitahata, Bruster (McConnell, 73), Reale, Pagador (Oke, 56); Fung (Gleason, 46), Karich (Lynch, 46), Shimkin; Jackson (Sentnor, 46), White (Lema, 73), Manrique.
Att.: 2,024

U.S. U-15 girls national team
GOALKEEPERS (2): Nadia Cooper (Shattuck-St. Mary's; Katy, Texas), Neeku Purcell (Reign Academy; Seattle, Wash.).
DEFENDERS (6): Baleigh Bruster (NTH Tophat; Smyrna, Ga.), Andrea Kitahata (San Jose Earthquakes; Hillsborough, Calif.), Aidan McConnell (Michigan Hawks; Dexter, Mich.), Ayo Oke (NTH Tophat; Lawrenceville, Ga.), Kellie Pagador (Placer United SC; Roseville, Calif.), Lilly Reale (South Shore Select; Hingham, Mass.).
MIDFIELDERS (6): Emma Egizii (Beach FC; Downey, Calif.), Tatiana Fung (Legends FC; Fullerton, Calif.), Riley Gleason (So Cal Blues SC; Mission Viejo, Calif.), Annie Karich (So Cal Blues SC; Surfside, Calif.), Devin Lynch (Sockers FC; Naperville, Ill.), Jillian Shimkin (FC Fury NY; Rockville Centre, N.Y.).
FORWARDS (6): Simone Jackson (LAFC Slammers; Redondo Beach, Calif.), Karlie Lema (MVLA SC; Morgan Hill, Calif.), Arianna Manrique (NTH Tophat; Buford, Ga.), Allyson Sentnor (South Shore Select; Hanson, Mass.), Farrah Walters (SC del Sol; Scottsdale, Ariz.), Amelia White (Fort Wayne United FC; Fort Wayne, Ind.).