RONNEBY, Sweden – The U.S. Under-16 Women’s Youth National Team defeated host Sweden, 4-1, to sweep all three games in convincing fashion at its UEFA Development Tournament.
The USA also defeated Norway, 4-0, on May 18 and downed France, 3-1, on May 20 to outscore its opponents 11-2 over the course of the friendly competition. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, these were the first international matches for the U.S. U-16s since February 2020 when the USA played in a UEFA Development Tournament in England.
The USA went behind for the first time in the tournament when Sweden’s Bianca Hultback Nattland struck in the 27th minute to stake her side to a 1-0 lead at halftime.
The second half belonged to the USA, which scored four unanswered goals in a 29-minute span to end the match.
In a game that saw the USA out-shoot Sweden 15-4, forward Kennedy Roesch finally equalized in the 58th minute when she dribbled across the penalty box to the left side and finished with a left-footed strike from 12 yards out. It was her second goal of the tournament.
The USA took the lead just five minutes later as defender Carla Small, who hails from Waipahu, Hawaii, intercepted a pass from Sweden inside its own penalty box and finished for the eventual game-winner. It was her first international goal.
The USA racked up insurance tallies in the 83rd and 87th minutes, the first coming when forward Addison Hess dribbled into the left side of the penalty box and slipped a pass to forward…
