U-23 WNT Falls 2-1 to Reign FC at 2019 Thorns Spring Invitational

PORTLAND, Oregon (March 24, 2019) – The U.S. Under-23 Women’s National Team fell to Reign FC, 2-1 in the first of three games at the 2019 Thorns Spring Invitational.

The Reign, which finished third in the NWSL last season, played eight players who are full internationals for their countries and six other players who have full or youth international experience.

Reign FC scored first through forward Darian Jenkins in the 49th minute. Jenkins, who scored for the USA in the 2012 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup against eventual runner-up North Korea, tallied after she received a ball in the right side of the penalty area. She beat a defender with a cut to her left and finished with a left-footed shot into the lower right corner.

The USA equalized in the 54th as Savannah DeMelo found Catarina Macario at the top of the penalty box and she fed Ashley Sanchez at the top left corner of the 18-yard box. Sanchez took a big touch towards the goal and finished from the left side with the inside of her right foot into the right corner. It was her first international goal at the U-23 level. Sanchez has now scored for the USA in international matches at the U-15, U-17, U-20 and U-23 levels.

The NWSL side got the game-winner on a familiar combination for Reign fans as Megan Rapinoe swung in a kick from just outside penalty area on the right side. Allie Long met the cross with her head and finished low inside the left post. Rapinoe and Long will join the full Women’s National Team for its April friendlies against Australia and Belgium.

The U.S. Under-23s are taking part in Thorns Spring Invitational for the third year in a row and all matches are taking place at Merlo Field on the campus of the University of Portland. The competition takes place over three matchdays, with an early game that has free admission and a later match featuring the Thorns that is a ticketed event. Tickets for the matches featuring the Thorns are general admission. Individual tickets are on sale to the public online at www.thornsfc.com. 

On second matchday on Wednesday, March 27, Chicago will face Reign FC at 1:30 p.m. PT and the USA will take on Portland at 7:30 p.m. PT. The U.S. finishes against the Red Stars on Saturday, March 30 at 1:30 p.m. PT and Portland wraps things up with rival Reign FC at 7:30 p.m. PT.

U.S. head coach B.J. Snow named a roster that features 21 collegiate players, two players current playing professionally in Europe – Schuyler Debree (Sparta Prague in the Czech Republic) and Martha Thomas (Le Havre in France) -- and one U.S. Soccer Development Academy player in Maycee Bell, who is a member of the USA’s current Under-20 WNT player pool.

-U.S. Under-23 Women’s National Team Match Report-

Match: United States U-23 Women’s National Team vs. Reign FC
Date: March 24, 2019
Competition: 2019 Thorns Spring Invitational
Venue: Merlo Field – University of Portland; Portland, Oregon
Attendance: 150
Weather: 53 degrees, sunny

Scoring Summary:   1          2          F         
USA                            0          1          1
RFC                            0          2          2

RFC – Darian Jenkins                                                49th minute
USA – Ashley Sanchez (Catarina Macario)               54
RFC – Allie Long (Megan Rapinoe)                           70       

Lineups:
USA: 1-Laurel Ivory, 4-Emily Fox (capt.), 15-Naomi Girma, 19-Schuyler Debree (2-Maycee Bell, 79) , 3- Meaghan Nally (11-Kiara Pickett, 46), 7-Jenna Nighswonger (16-Savannah DeMelo, 46), 6-Jaelin Howell (79, 24-Channing Foster) , 8-Brianna Pinto, 9-Ashley Sanchez 18-Penelope Hocking, 60) (14-Morgan Weaver, 85), 10-Catarina Macario (17-Martha Thomas, 60), 13-Ally Watt (25-Paula Germino-Watnick, 79)
Subs Not Used: 5-Kaleigh Riehl, 20-Haley Hopkins, 21-Emina Ekic, 22-Amanda McGlynn, 23-Kirsten Pavlisko
Head Coach: B.J. Snow

RFC: 1-Lydia Williams, 7-Steph Catley (21-Christen Westphal, 75), 4-Megan Oyster, 3-Lauren Barnes (8-Theresa Nielsen, 65), 6-Allie Long, 88-Elise Kellond-Knight (20-Rumi Utsugi, 65), 17-Bev Yanez (12-Morgan Andrews, 65), 15-Megan Rapinoe (capt.) (25-Bethany Balcer, 75), 9-Jodi Taylor (24-Emma Kete, 81), 11-Darian Jenkins (22-Jasmyne Spencer, 57)
Subs Not Used: 14-Morgan Profitt, 16-Jaycee Johnson, 18-Michelle Betos, 23-Jorian Baucom, 26-Sakura Yoshida, 39-Scout Watson
Head Coach: Vlatko Andonovski

Stats Summary: USA / RFC                        
Shots: 3 / 17
Shots on Goal: 1 / 6
Saves: 4 / 0
Corner Kicks: 0 / 12
Fouls: 9 / 6
Offside: 0 / 3

Misconduct Summary:
None

Officials:
Referee: Mike Hohnholz
Assistant Referee 1: Ryan Jung
Assistant Referee 2: Billy Baldwin
4th Official: Riley Hooper