Ten things I noticed in watching the U.S. U17 Women’s National Team win 13-0 over Cayman Islands Friday at the CONCACAF Qualifying Tournament for the FIFA U17 World Cup.

1. Kazbek Tambi’s team took a very mature approach to the fact that they were playing a team that didn’t belong on the field with them. They went about their business professionally and showed good sportsmanship despite the circumstances.
2. Morgan Brian is just as good as I remember her at the club level. Her vision and technique are superior and her 28-minute hat trick was almost secondary to the other good things she did, albeit against weak opposition.
3. Ditto for Lindsey Horan – but I disagree with the FSC commentator that she reminds of Abby Wambach. I would say Heather O’Reilly is a better comparison.
4. The Cayman Islands had a handful of fans in the stands (at a Costa Rican stadium) chanting “Let’s go Cayman, Let’s go.”  Let’s go indeed. Let’s go to the bus at halftime and drive away.
5. The Cayman Islands team nickname should be “The Red Saucers.”
6. The Cayman Islands’ goalkeeper sounds a lot like the pterodactyls on “Land of the Lost” when she screams (or was it the Ringwraiths in “Lord of the Rings?” One of those).
7. Probably after about 8-0 it’s OK to stop screaming.
8. Having missed the opening minute of the telecast, it took me more than 30 minutes to see that Abby Smith was the U.S. goalkeeper for the day.
9. The U.S. players on the bench were getting a lot of camera time, but managed to avoid bursting out laughing at any point. They are better people than I am.
10. Not awarding any stoppage time in a lopsided game is acceptable mercy-giving from match officials; but making up offside calls to deny likely goals is not. It really could have been 20-0.

The win sets up a showdown with undefeated Costa Rica on Sunday evening. While the U.S. hasn’t had a good test yet in the event, neither has Costa Rica.

Two teams will advance from this event to the World Cup, to be played this September in Trinidad & Tobago.

MORE U17 WNT CONCACAF COVERAGE