The U.S. Under-17 Women's National Team defeated Costa Rica, 4-0, to open its Group B play at the 2018 Concacaf Women's U-17 Championship. All three goals scored by the USA came off headers, while Costa Rica contributed an own goal.

The young Americans dominated for the entire 90 minutes and benefited from the own goal in the fourth minute before forward Peyton Linnehan tallied on a header in the 15th minute. Defender Kennedy Wesley and midfielder Sophie Jones both scored off headers from corner kicks in the second half.

The goals were the first in U-17 international competition for both Wesley and Jones, with the latter providing an important bump in goal difference for the USA. The Americans now sit atop Group B, just ahead of Canada, which defeated Bermuda 3-0 in the other match of the night.

One of the highlights of the game for the USA was Linnehan's running at goal. She struck a shot off the top of the crossbar in the second half after a mazy, dribbling run that left several defenders in her wake.

After round-robin play within the groups, the top two teams in each group will cross-over for the semifinal matches and the winners of the semifinals and the third-place game will earn CONCACAF's three berths to the 2018 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup in Uruguay.

Up Next: The USA will face Bermuda on Sunday, April 22 at 10 p.m. ET on go90.com.

2018 CONCACAF Women's U-17 Championship Group B Standings
Team	GP	W	L	D	Pts.	GF	GA	GD
USA	1	1	0	0	3	4	0	+4
Canada	1	1	0	0	3	3	0	+3
Bermuda	1	0	1	0	0	0	3	-3
Costa Rica	1	0	1	0	0	0	4	-4

Goal Scoring Rundown:
USA - Own Goal (Jeimy Umaña), 4th minute: The USA put pressure on Costa Rica early on and it was a nice build-up that produced the first American goal, even if it was scored by Costa Rica. Talia DellaPeruta played a pass to the right side to Peyton Linnehan, who darted past a defender into the penalty area. Her driven cross into the middle struck the leg of center back Jeimy Umaña as she tried to clear, but instead drilled the ball straight into the upper right corner of the goal from eight yards out to give the USA the early lead. USA 1, CRC 0 

USA - Peyton Linnehan (Samantha Meza), 15th minute: The second goal came from the left side as Samantha Meza danced her way free of a defender on the flank, cut inside and sent a cross into the middle. Peyton Linnehan timed her run perfectly to stay onside, but also got a step on her defender and then jumped to head home into the left side of the goal from eight yards out. USA 2, CRC 0

USA - Kennedy Wesley (Kate Wiesner), 60th minute: The USA got its third goal off a corner kick as defender Kate Wiesner spun in a service from the left side. Defender Kennedy Wesley was not closely marked as she rose to snap a header into the lower left corner from four yards out. USA 3, CRC 0

USA - Sophie Jones (Sunshine Fontes), 79th minute: The USA got its fourth goal off a corner kick as well, this one from the left side as forward Sunshine Fontes hit a high cross that dropped near the far corner of the goal box. Sophie Jones and Kennedy Wesley both rose to head the ball, but it was Jones who got her forehead on the cross and looped a seven-yard shot over the goalkeeper. The ball dropped into the goal at the left post to provide the final margin of victory. USA 4, CRC 0 FINAL

Key Saves and Defensive Stops:
CRC - Fabiana Solano, 24th minute: Outside back Kate Wiesner powerfully won a tackle in the USA's attacking third, burst into the left side of the penalty box and cut a pass back to the wide-open Sunshine Fontes. Her first-time driven shot was pushed away with a brilliant reaction save from Costa Rica goalkeeper Fabiana Solano.

CRC - María Paula Salas, 67th minute: The USA took a shot corner kick form the left side and Kate Wiesner drove towards the penalty area before lofting a shot that was seemingly flying towards the upper right corner before María Paula Salas jumped to just deflect the ball away with her head.

CRC - Fabiana Solano, 80th minute: The menacing Peyton Linnehan hit a drive from distance that looked to be dropping just underneath the crossbar before Fabianna Solano leapt to acrobatically push the ball away.

Additional Notes:

• The USA was captained by goalkeeper Angelina Anderson, who was not forced to make a save on the night as she earned her fifth career shutout.
• The USA outshot Corta Rica 14-0 and put eight shots on goal to zero.
• Peyton Linnehan's goal was her seventh in 18 U-17 international matches.
• Linnehan was the Golden Boot Winner at the 2016 CONCACAF U-15 Girls' Championship, scoring eight goals at that tournament in Orlando, Fla.
• Kennedy Wesley's goal was her first international score at the U-17 level and it came in her 29th cap while Sophia Smith's goal was her first in her 10th
• U.S. head coach Mark Carr made all three allowed two subs in the game, sending on Diana Ordoñez for Samantha Meza in the 62nd minute, Michela Agresti for Natalia Staude in the 68th, and Samantha Kroeger in for Sunshine Fontes in the 81^st minute.
• Kroeger was added to the roster just the day before the tournament started in place of forward Isabella D'Aquila, who had not sufficiently recovered from an ankle injury.
• This was the first U.S. WNT match played in Nicaragua at any age level.
• Costa Rica has drawn the USA in its group every time that it has qualified for the CONCACAF U-17 Championship (2008, 2010, 2016 and 2018).
• This was the fifth meeting between the USA and Costa Rica in this tournament, four in pool play and twice in the knockout rounds.
• The USA is 6-0-0 all-time vs. Costa Rica at the tournament.
• Costa Rica is the only non-North American country to qualify for the World Cup at this age level, finishing second in the inaugural 2008 tournament.

- U.S. U-17 Women's National Team Match Report -

Match: U.S. U-17 Women's National Team vs. Costa Rica
Date: April 20, 2018
Competition: 2018 Concacaf Women's U-17 Championship; Group B
Venue: Managua, Nicaragua
Kickoff: 10 p.m. ET
Attendance: 160
Weather: 84 degrees; periodic clouds

Scoring Summary:    1          2          F
USA                            2          2          4                      
CRC                            0          0          0                     

USA - Jeimy Umaña (Own Goal)                  4th minute
USA - Payton Linnehan (Samantha Meza)   15
USA - Kennedy Wesley (Kate Wiesner)        60
USA - Sophie Jones (Sunshine Fontes)        79

Lineups:
USA: 1-Angelina Anderson (capt.); 4-Talia DellaPeruta, 15-Natalia Staude (19-Michela Agresti, 68), 5-Kennedy Wesley, 3-Kate Wiesner; 20-Sophie Jones, 17-Hannah Bebar, 9-Croix Bethune; 16-Payton Linnehan, 18-Sunshine Fontes (13-Samantha Kroeger, 81), 7-Samantha Meza (8-Diana Ordoñez, 62)
Substitutes not used: 12-Julia Dohle, 14-Smith Hunter, 2-Makenna Morris, 6-Astrid Wheeler, 10-Mia Fishel, 11-Maya Doms
Head Coach: Mark Carr

CRC: 1-Fabiana Solano (capt.); 6-Pamela Gutiérrez, 8-Jeimy Umaña, 19-Gipzy Prieto; 7-Nicole Gómez (15-Daniela Contreras, 58), 10-Carmen Marín, 16-Emily Flores, 11-Priscilla Chinchilla (20-Ariana Dobles, 88); 12-María Paula Salas, 14-María Paula Porras, 17-Kyana Calvo (9-Medolyn Guerrero, 65)
Substitutes not used:18-Dislania Chacón, 2-Valery Sandoval, 3-Andrea Capmany, 13-Keylin Gómez, 4-María Fernanda Murillo, 5-Alexa Aguilar
Head Coach: Harold López

Stats Summary: USA / CRC
Shots: 14 / 0
Shots on Goal: 8 / 0
Saves: 0 / 5
Corner Kicks: 13 / 1
Fouls: 18 / 3
Offside: 4 / 1

Misconduct Summary:
USA - Samantha Meza (caution)       53rd minute
CRC - María Paula Salas (caution)   72

Officials: 
Referee: Odette Hamilton (JAM)
Assistant Referee 1: Jassett Kerr (JAM)
Assistant Referee 2: Mijensa Rensch (SUR)
4th Official: Queztalli Alvarado (MEX)                                                                                   

U.S. Soccer Woman of the Match: Sophie Jones