PAÇOS DE FERREIRA, Portugal (May 14, 2018) – The U.S. Under-16 Girls’ National Team came from behind to defeat host Portugal, 2-1, as Abigail Borchers tallied the game-winning goal two minutes into second half stoppage time. It was Borcher’s first international goal and it came in her first-ever event with the USA’s Youth National Teams.

The win was the second in as many games for the USA at the UEFA Women’s International Development Tournament after taking down Belgium, 5-1, on May 12. In the four-team event, the USA will finish against Switzerland on May 16 at the Municipal Stadium Coutada in Arcos Valdevez. The competition is being staged in northern Portugal, about 75 miles north of Porto.

The USA went down 1-0 in the 18^th minute when Maria Negrão converted a penalty kick, but forward Amber Ngueyn tied it in the 33^rd minute with her second goal in as many games.

The equalizer came after forward Amelia White ran onto a looping ball behind the Portugal defense and drove toward goal before taking a shot that was blocked by a retreating defender. She collected the rebound herself and played a pass across goal to Nguyen who finished from two yards out. It was White’s third assist of the competition.

The USA’s game-winner was made even more dramatic by the fact that the young Americans were playing a player down after defender Emma Egizii was sent off with a temporary dismissal in the final minute of regulation of the 80-minute match.

This competition is utilizing an experimental “Sin Bin” system for players that commit “temporary dismissal offences.” Red and yellow cards are being issued in accordance with the Laws of the Game, but the temporary dismissal is used when the referee would have issued a yellow card for any of the following offences:

• Simulation
• Deliberately delaying opponents’ restart of the match (free kick, throw-in etc.)
• Dissent or verbal/gesture offences (unless red card offences)
• Stopping a promising attack by pulling, holding pushing or handball
• Kicker illegally feinting at a penalty kick

A player who has been temporarily dismissed can return to her team’s technical area and cannot be substituted for an eight-minute temporary dismissal period.

When Egizii was temporarily dismissed for delaying a restart by kicking the ball away after Portugal was awarded a free kick there was only stoppage time remaining, so the USA had to play the four minutes of added time with 10 players. That didn’t stop Arianna Manrique from creating the winning goal.

Manrique won possession about 10 yards inside Portuguese half, side-stepped a sliding defender and took off towards goal. She sprinted towards the middle of the field, evading a defender near the top of the penalty box as she cut to her right and then blasted a shot off the left post. The goalkeeper made a valiant attempt with a full-out dive, but that left the goal open, and the ball came off the woodwork to Borchers who volleyed home from 12-yards out to seal the win.

The U.S. for this tournament features 10 players born in 2002 and 10 in 2003.

U-16 Girls’ National Team Match Report

Match: U.S. Under-16 GNT vs Portugal U-16 GNT
Date: May 14, 2018
Competition: 2018 UEFA Women’s U-16 International Development Tournament
Venue: Estádio Capital do Móvel; Paços de Ferreira, Portugal
Weather: 68 degrees, partly cloudy

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

POR – Maria Negrão (Penalty Kick)                          18^th minute
USA – Amber Nguyen (Amelia White)                     33
USA – Abigail Borchers (Arianna Manrique)              80+2

Lineups:
USA: 22-Neeku Purcell, 15-Ayo Oke (18-Sally Menti, 68), 4-Abby Allen, 14-Aidan McConnell, 9-Andrea Kitahata, 13-Jillian Martinez (5-Devin Lynch, 60), 24-Maggie Graham (6-Tatiana Fung, 41), 21-Zoe Burns (7-Emma Egizii, 41), 10-Simone Jackson (23-Arianna Manrique, 60), 11-Amber Nguyen (8-Abbie Kotter, 41), 16-Amelia White (17-Abigail Borchers, 60)
Subs not used: 1-Mia Justus, 3-Katherine Groff
Head Coach: Tracey Kevins

POR: 1-Luisa Pinheiro, 16-Debora Esteves, 15-Ana Assucena, 2-Mariana Malva, 5-Alicia Correia, 3-Maria Miller (20-Joana Caiado, 41), 6-Sofia Silva (13-Maria Leonor, 71), 11-Vera Cid (7-Nicole Araujo, 41), 10-Maria Negrao (18-Margarida Conceicao, 55), 14-Mariana Alberto (8-Maria Alagoa, 41), 9-Rafaela Mesquita (19-Luana Marques, 48)
Subs not used: 4-Jessica Albino, 12-Adriana Rocha, 17-Ines Oliveira
Head Coach: Ricardo Tavares

Stats Summary: USA / POR
Shots: 6 / 3
Shots on Goal: 3 / 2
Saves: 1 / 1
Corner Kicks: 3 / 2
Fouls: 17 / 18
Offside: 0 / 0

Misconduct Summary:
POR – Ana Assucena (caution)                                 47^th minute
USA – Emma Egizii (temporary dismissal)                80-84

Officials:
Referee: Catarina Araujo (POR)
Assistant Referee 1: Olga Almeida (POR)
Assistant Referee 2: Mafalda Dias (POR)
4^th Official: Catia Leitao (POR)