The U.S. U-16 girls national team fell to Mexico’s U-17s on a spot-kick tiebreaker, after a 1-1 tie, to finish in fourth place at the 1st Women’s Tournament Delle Nazioni in Italy.
Coach Tricia Taliaferro’s team took a 22nd minute lead on a goal by Olivia Wingate of Massachusetts’ FC Stars but the Mexicans equalized with a 54th minutepenalty kick by Daniela Arce. The Mexicans prevailed 4-2 in the shootout after goalkeeper Kelsey Brann, a Mexican-American who plays for the Texas Rush, saved theUSA’s first two attempts.
The teams met for third place after each finishing second in its group. The USA opened with a 1-0 loss to host Italy and beat Iran, 6-0.
The USA fieldedmainly players born in 2000 against older teams of players born in 1999, the age cut-off year for the 2016 U-17 Women’s World Cup in Jordan Sept. 30-Oct. 21. The U.S. U-17 girls, who won theConcacaf qualifying tournament, were in camp with Coach B.J. Snow in Carson, California.
April 28 in San Valentino, Italy
Mexico 1 USA 1 (Mexico wins, 4-2, on PKs). Goals: Arce (pen.) 54; Wingate (Yates) 22.
Mexico — Brann; Soto (Reyes Stubblefield, 51), Munoz, Rodriguez,Fuentes; Delgado Hernandez, Arce, 10- Hernandez Garcia, Ovalle; Juarez Smith, Reyes Zarate (Delgado Heinz, 36)
USA –– Meyer; Holmes, Bell, Enge, Martinez; 19-Cori Dyke, Vergura(Bethune, 55 Yates; Godfrey, Mendoza (Jarrett, 36), Wingate (Vatne, 68).