MIAMI, Florida – The 2022 Concacaf Women’s Under-20 Championship in the Dominican Republic kicks off on Friday with defending CWU20 champions United States in action in Group E.
The U.S. begin the quest for a seventh Concacaf title against Nicaragua at the Estadio Olimpico Felix Sanchez in Santo Domingo.
Seventeen of the 20 U.S. players currently play in college soccer, however, many eyes will be on the squad’s lone professional player, MF Olivia Moultrie. A member of the Portland Thorns of the NWSL, Moultrie is just 16 years old, making her the youngest player on the team.
There are also two members from the U.S. team that won the CWU20 crown in 2020, DF Emily Mason and MF Talia DellaPeruta, so that duo would like nothing better than to win a second straight title.
Nicaragua will look to improve upon their performance from two years ago when they failed to get out of the group with a group. The Pinoleras are led by Head Coach Elna Dixon, who just guided the Senior Women’s National Team through the first window of Concacaf W Qualifying.
Also, in Group E, at the Estadio Olimpico Felix Sanchez will be hosts Dominican Republic taking on Puerto Rico.
The Dominican Republic were the revelation of the 2020 edition, which was also played in the Dominican Republic, when they reached the semifinal stage before falling to the U.S. Five players from that squad, Jazlyn Oviedo, Nadia Colon, Gabriella Marte, Alexa Pacheco and Liliane Clase are back with the current group and will hope to go a step further.
Puerto Rico will provide a tough test for the hosts, as 18 of the 20 Puerto Rico players either play their college or club soccer in the U.S. The Boricuas reached the knockout stage of the 2020 CWU20 before being eliminated in a penalty shootout with Trinidad and Tobago in the Round of 16.
Group G will also kick off on Friday, beginning with Trinidad and Tobago against El Salvador at the Estadio Panamericano in San Cristobal.
El Salvador Head Coach Eric Acuna will have some of the players who featured for the Senior Team at the CWU20, including MF Victoria Sanchez, who scored against Aruba in W Qualifying.
Trinidad and Tobago will aim to improve upon their quarterfinal finish in 2020 and helping the cause if MF Maria-Frances Serrant, who also stars with the Senior Team.
Rounding out the day’s action in Group G at the Estadio Panamericano in San Cristobal will be Canada taking on Saint Kitts and Nevis. MF duo and sisters Cloey and Kayla Uddenberg, who also featured in the 2020 Concacaf Women’s Olympic Qualifying Championship and 2022 W Qualifiers, will lead Saint Kitts and Nevis.
Canada will counter with the likes of DF Jade Rose and MF Nikayla Small, who each have appeared with the Canadian Senior Women’s National Team.