Two New Jersey high school products scored and a third played as the U.S. Under-17 Women's National Team beat Samoa 17-0 on Monday in its World Cup opener, NJ.com reported.
Reporter Brandon Gould wrote that Amari Manning and Gianna Hanf found the net, while Jordyn Sullivan entered late.
Manning, who played for Immaculata, had a goal and two assists. Hanf, from Northern Burlington, scored once. Sullivan, from Rumson-Fair Haven, came on in the 78th minute.
The New Jersey Players
Manning spent two years at Immaculata and started for the Spartans last season before opting out, NJ.com reported. She is now a freshman at the University of North Carolina.
Hanf was a standout as a junior at Northern Burlington last year but chose to skip her senior season. NJ.com reported that she is committed to join Manning at North Carolina next year.
Sullivan scored 21 goals for Rumson-Fair Haven this season before leaving for the World Cup. She is committed to Duke. NJ.com reported that she expects to be back in time for the NJSIAA state playoffs.
How the Match Unfolded
The game was played in Salé, Morocco, in the first meeting between the two countries, U.S. Soccer said. Forward Maddie DiMaria scored six goals, including the opener 63 seconds into the match. She had four by halftime.
Ten Americans scored in all. Midfielder Loradana Paletta and forward Carolina Reyna each scored twice, and Paletta added three assists.
Midfielders Mia Corona, Grace Murray and Isa Ortiz, forwards Deus Stanislaus, Manning and Hanf, and defender Meila Brewer each scored once.
The United States led 9-0 at the break and scored eight more after it. Nine players recorded assists, two of them from Manning.
The Americans outshot Samoa 58-0 and put 32 attempts on goal, according to U.S. Soccer. Samoa spent the match pinned in its own defensive third. Samoa was making only its second appearance at the tournament.
Records Set
The 17 goals are the most any team has scored in a FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup match, U.S. Soccer said. They also surpass the previous high at any level of the Women's World Cup. The old U-17 mark was 12, set by France against Gambia in 2012.
That result eliminated the United States on goal difference after it had earned five points in group play in Azerbaijan.
DiMaria's six goals set several individual marks as well. No U.S. national team player at any level had scored more than five in a match.
The only players to reach five in a Women's World Cup game were Michelle Akers against Chinese Taipei in 1991 and Alex Morgan against Thailand in 2019, both Americans.
DiMaria now has seven career goals at the U-17 World Cup, one from the 2025 edition. That passes the five scored by Gina DiMartino at the inaugural 2008 tournament, the previous U.S. high.
Next Match Against Kenya
The United States plays Kenya in its second Group E match on Oct. 22 in Salé. Kickoff is at 2 p.m. ET, with coverage on FS2, Peacock and Telemundo Deportes.
Sullivan aims to rejoin Rumson-Fair Haven for the state playoffs, while Manning is already on the roster at North Carolina and Hanf is due to arrive there next year.