Overview:
The U.S. Under-17 women’s national team recorded a 2-1 win over two-time Spain to advance to the quarterfinals of the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup on Thursday.
SALE, Morocco – The U.S. Under-17 women’s national team recorded a 2-1 win over two-time Spain to advance to the quarterfinals of the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup on Thursday.
The Americans will face another multiple champion in North Korea on Nov. 1 at 3 p.m. ET.
Forwards Deus Stanislaus and Maddie DiMaria scored at the end of the first half to earn the USA one of its biggest victories in the competiton’s history.
Spain dominated the flow of the match, maintaining more than 70 percent of possession and outshot the Americans, 20-4. The U.S., however, capitalized on its first two chances late in the first half and made crucial defensive plays throughout the second half to return to the quarterfinals for the first time since 2022.
Spain placed four shots on target. The USA had three shots on goal and scored twice.
A talented La Roja had the momentum in the first half, but it was the U.S. who got on the board. On a recycled corner kick in the 43rd minute, midfielder Loradana Paletta collected the ball at the top of the box and played it back to defender Anaiah Williams about 30 yards out. Williams lofted a pass towards the penalty spot where Stanislaus darted behind the Spain defense to get a foot on the ball right in front of the diving goalkeeper Antia Veiga. That sent her volley off the left post and just over the goal line before a Spanish defender could clear it. Stanislaus was called offside, but the referee reviewed the play via the Video Support System and ruled Stanislaus onside and that the ball fully crossed the goal line.
The U.S. doubled its lead five minutes later after forward Amari Manning sent a through-ball from the center circle down the right flank. DiMaria raced alongside Spanish defender Iraia Fernandez, who to that point had done a good job keeping the speedy winger under wraps. But this time DiMaria won the ball, nudging the Spanish defender aside, before continuing her run inside the box. DiMaria cut inside to her left foot at the edge of the six-yard box and blasted a shot past Veiga inside the far post to extend her tournament record to 12 goals and the U.S. lead to two.
Spain kept the pressure on in the second half and forced two vital saves out of goalkeeper Avellina Saunders, including a 25-yard curling free kick the 15-year-old pushed aside in the 66th minute. La Roja finally got one past Saunders in the 71st minute when Spanish captain Vera Molina snaked through traffic down the middle of the field before taking a low shot from just outside the penalty arc that deflected off a U.S. defender and snuck into the bottom right corner of the net.
From then on, it was a battle of the USA’s courage against the consistent attacks of Spain, the FIFA Women’s World Cup and FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup champions.
Spain searched for the equalizer in the final 20 minutes and eight minutes of stoppage time, primarily through the left side. However, stout defending and multiple clearances by the U.S. backline of Williams, team captain Meila Brewer, Venina Moodie and 5-5 outside back Kendra Hansen helped the U.S. preserve the win. Paletta, who is also 15, played an excellent match in the midfield on both sides of the field and was named Player of the Match.
The U.S. appeared to have won a penalty kick in the 82nd minute after Veiga brought down DiMaria inside the box, but another video review showed the goalkeeper got a touch on the ball just before the contact with DiMaria and the call was overturned.
DiMaria nearly scored a clincher in the second minute of stoppage time. Racing down the right flank, she made a move past her defender and cut inside the box before unleashing a low left-footed shot with pace. Veiga dove for a one-handed save, pushing the ball off the post before collecting it right in front of the goal line.
When the final whistle blew, Spanish players fell to their knees, and the U.S. team dogpiled to celebrate the win.