Island soccer player proves herself, scores big on international stage

Islander Abi Kim is making a name for herself in the international soccer world as a member of the U.S. U-18 Women’s National Team.

Islander Abi Kim is making a name for herself in the international soccer world as a member of the U.S. U-18 Women’s National Team.

U.S. Soccer’s website reports that Kim has scored the game-winning goal in the team’s past two matches in Spain. The team had a three-game stint in La Manga, Spain, earlier this month with a match against Denmark on March 3, the first of the three games, ending in a 0-0 tie.

The team took on England on March 5 and won 1-0 after Kim scored in the 78th minute, U.S. Soccer reports. The online game recap indicates that the goal came when fellow U.S. national team member Kennedy Goins played a through ball down the right side for Kim, who blasted her shot into the upper corner at the far post.

Kim repeated with a game-winning goal on March 7 during a game against Norway. U.S. Soccer reports that in that game, Kim scored in the 36th minute off a corner kick from temmate Cecilia Gee.

Kim became part of the national team after participating in the U-18 Women’s National Team soccer camp in San Diego late last year.

All the players on the team are eligible for the team that will participate in the 2016 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup, which has an age cut-off of players born on or after Jan. 1, 1996. U.S. Soccer’s website states the goal for this age group is to ultimately qualify for the 2018 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup.

Kim is a senior at Seattle Christian and will attend the University of California-Berkeley on a soccer scholarship.