Over the weekend, TopDrawerSoccer.com posted two articles on the United States Under-17 Women’s National Team training camp, which ran from June 9th to the 16th. (For the full roster, see this earlier post.) The U-17s played three scrimmages, one against the U-18 USWNT and two split-squad scrimmages versus boys U-15/14 club teams.
On the first full day of the camp, the U-17 USWNT played the U-18 USWNT, and lost 0:2, with both goals coming in the second-half. From the first TopDrawerSoccer.com article:
“That was a bit of a difficult game for us because half of the team got in late that night and we were up at 6 in the morning to play a team that was at the end of its camp,” Montoya said. “I also mixed it up. I had a backline in the second half, that is when they scored both of their goals, that had never played together before.”
Then, on the final day of the camp, the U-17s played split-squad scrimmages against boys club teams. In the first match, which essentially featured a “B” squad, that team lost 0:2, while the second match, with an “A” squad, was a 3:3 draw. In the second scrimmage, Sarah Robinson scored twice and Summer Green added a converted penalty.
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SCRIMMAGE SUMMARIES
The first scrimmage, between the U-17s and U-18s, does not appear to have been reported by TopDrawerSoccer or US Soccer.
Both of the split-squad scrimmages were only 80 minutes (two 40 minute halves.)
Vs. San Diego Surf Boys U15/U14 (0:2 Loss):
Starting Line-Up:
Miller (GK)
Reid (FB) — Wagner (CB) — Raben (CB) — Matulich (FB)
Boissiere (CM) — Stanton (CM) — Boyles (CM)
Emily Bruder (FW) — Sullivan (FW) — Munerlyn (FW)
Substitutions:
Arielle Ship in for Amber Munerlyn (41′ / halftime).
Munerlyn back in for Jaye Boissiere (61′).
Formation Notes: Not sure of the specific positions for the fullbacks and the midfielders. Stanton is the most likely candidate for the holding mid role, as she played in that position briefly during qualifying. Also, according to the TopDrawerSoccer.com article, Ship was referred to as a “winger” so it appears that the initial substitution was like-for-like, even though Ship is listed as a midfielder and has aksi been used as a fullback. Once Munerlyn came back into the match, Ship or, perhaps, Sullivan moved to a midfield role.
Goals Scored: N/A
Goals Allowed: Both goals came via mistakes within five minutes before and after half-time. The first followed from a “sloppy turnover” by Matulich in about the 40th minute and the second goal came two minutes into the second half.
Quotes From Montoya:
“Their goals came on a couple of our mistakes, which has happened all week long,” Montoya lamented. “The other team’s opportunities tend to come from our mistakes and not necessarily great buildup . . . at least that was the case in the first game.”
“The one thing we wanted in that [Surf] game was more possession in the attacking third,” Montoya said. “We made a couple of adjustments at half and created more opportunities in the second half.”
“[Sullivan] does a good job keeping the ball, which allows us to join her in the attack,” Montoya said about playing Sullivan in the target role. “She had a very good game.
“Jo Boyles was outstanding, and she has been all camp long,” he added. “I was very happy for her. Jo Boyles is a soccer player and she has a great soccer brain in her. This camp, she was on and it helped us possess the ball.”
Vs. Nomads SC U15/U14 (3:3 Draw):
Starting Line-Up:
Campbell (GK)
Basinger (RB) — Bauer (CB) — Freeman (CB) — G.Miranda (LB)
Robinson (AM) — Andrews (HM) — Kaskie (AM)
Purce (FW) — Green (FW) — Jenkins (FW)
Substitutions:
Toni Payne in for Sarah Robinson (41’/ halftime).
Robinson back in for Darian Jenkins (73′).
Formation Notes: With the exception of Darian Jenkins in place of Emily Bruder, this is the starting line-up from the first match of the CONCACAF qualifying. When Robinson came back on for Jenkins, Payne probably moved up to a winger spot.
Goals Scored:
- ??’ – (Early in first half) Summer Green made space for herself about 30 yards out and took a crack on goal which was saved, but Sarah Robinson followed up on the shot and was ably to calmly kick in the rebound.
- 42′ – Green dribbled the ball near the goal line and passed off to Robinson, who slotted in a go-ahead goal.
- 58′ (Penalty) – Purce, on a sprinting attack, was taken down in the box. Green converted the penalty kick.
Goals Allowed:
- 2′ – After a failed clearance, an attacker had too much space and easily slotted in a shot.
- ??’ – (60’+) A 25-yard shot by U-14 BNT forward Joe Gallardo was blocked by Freeman, but rebounded back to Gallardo. The second attempt was converted.
- 76′ – Gallardo “broke free from a defender and skated through the left side before rifling a shot past Campbell for the equalizer.”
Montoya Quotes:
“It was an entertaining game,” the coach said. “Quite happy with building out of the back and connecting. We did a much better job in the second game being dangerous and combining up top.”
“We have to learn from it,” Montoya remarked afterward. “Being up 3-1, we kept sending numbers forward. [The coaching staff] did not say anything about it [during the game], but I told them you have to learn from that. It became a track meet and we didn’t want a track meet with these boys.”
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For the full match reports: U17 WNT squares off against the boys (TopDrawerSoccer).
Camp Overview: The rock stars of US Soccer (TopDrawerSoccer)
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Random Note: FIFA released the details of the U-17 WWC draw ceremony. It is scheduled for July 6th at 10:00 am EDT. No word on whether there will be a live stream or other live reporting.
Women's Soccer Express 