Earthquakes Academy defender Andrea Kitahata and the United States U-15 GNT earned a first-place finish in the CFA International Women’s Youth Football Tournament Weifang 2018. The four-team tournament featured U-15 national team squads from the Czech Republic, Japan, the U.S. and hosts China.
Kitahata was one of 13 players on the U-15s’ 24-player tournament roster that also received a call-up to compete in a pair of matches against the Netherlands this past June.
On Aug. 24, the U.S. fought back from a 2-0 deficit to defeat Japan 3-2. Kitahata was subbed into the match in the 61st minute to help preserve the U-15s’ 3-2 lead.
Two days later, Kitahata started for the U-15s in their 5-0 win over China. With their second victory of the tournament, the U.S. automatically earned a first-place finish in the tournament. The Czech Republic was unable to win either of their first two matches, protecting the U.S. from the tournament’s first tie-breaker, head-to-head result.
On Aug. 26, the U.S. capped off the tournament with a 3-0 win over the Czech Republic.
Kitahata has returned to California and will be available for the Earthquakes Academy’s first match of the 2018-19 U.S. Soccer Development Academy season on Sept. 1.
