Cooper earns Best Player, Top Scorer honors at CWU20

The 2022 CONCACAF Women’s Under-20 Championship (CWU20) in the Dominican Republic has concluded following the 2-0 victory for the United States over Mexico in Saturday’s Final at the Estadio Olimpico Felix Sanchez in Santo Domingo, with Michelle Cooper of the United States earning the Top Scorer and Best Player awards, according to CONCACAF.

“There were a number of standout performances over the two weeks at both the individual and collective levels,” CONCACAF said.

It said the following players and teams earned top distinctions: Top Scorer, presented by Qatar Airways: Michelle Cooper, United States; Best Player Award, presented by Scotiabank: Michelle Cooper, United States; Fair Player Award presented by Scotiabank: Mexico; and Best Goalkeeper: Anna Karpenko, Canada.

CONCACAF said Cooper pocketed the Top Scorer Award after scoring eight goals in six games for the US.

Among the highlighted performances for Cooper was a hat trick in the 14-0 win over Suriname in the Round of 16, a brace in the 7-0 triumph over Puerto Rico in the semifinals to help secure a 2022 FIFA Women’s Under-20 World Cup berth and then the opening goal in Saturday’s Final, CONCACAF said.

It also said “Cooper saved her best for the most crucial stage of the tournament for the US, scoring seven of her eight goals in the knockout round.”

CONCACAF said Cooper was one of two US players, along with Talia DellaPeruta, to score in every US knockout stage match, including her winning goal in the Final.

Karpenko appeared in five matches at the CWU20, keeping a clean sheet in four matches and conceding just one goal.

“Karpenko’s efforts in goal helped Canada to a Third-Place finish and a berth in the 2022 FIFA Women’s Under-20 World Cup in Costa Rica,” CONCACAF said