AFC CAF CONMEBOL CONCACAF UEFA OFC

SOUTH AMERICA-CONMEBOL NEWS

May 30, 2003 Girl from Rio de Janeiro is the youngest Brazilian girl to play abroad By Alexandre Mathias Mariana Neves, only twelve years old and player for the Team Chicago Brasil in Rio de Janeiro, spent this year's first semester at the Alliance in the American team as an exchange program with BRUSA International Soccer Institute, in the USA. She was invited to play for Alliance, in Richmond, Virginia, thru a partnership between her club and BRUSA. She became one of the best players in the group helping her team become unbeatable. One of the biggest advantages she had in playing in the USA was the fact that she played with girls from her own age group, something that is practically impossible in Brazil. Her coach Tom Wilson said that she played a big part in helping Alliance have a great beginning for the 2003 season. Alliance won the indoor season from January thru February with a record of 10-0. Mariana scored 12 goals and became a team leader. Alliance won too the Premier League (highest level) with a record of 6-1-1, scoring 20 goals and only gave up 5 goals. Mariana scored 6 goals during t league play. The Premier league goes from March thru May. The team won the Wranglers / McDonalds Soccer Tournament in Greensboro, NC, with 3 wins and 1 tie. Mariana's play was strong and she assisted on one of the goals. In 2001, Mariana took part in a international program in Philadelphia, USA, together with many girls from all over the world and she did extremely well. She has been invited to return and has received at least two invitations to play soccer with a scholarship in the US , where women's soccer gets a well deserved recognition.