USA, Mexico and Canada can be Concacaf's three representatives on the FIFA U-17 Girls's World Cup India 2022™, which scheduled for 11-30 October.
The Stars and Stripes took high honours on the 2022 Concacaf U-17 Girls's Championship within the Dominican Republic with a 2-1 win over Mexico within the remaining, whereas Canada noticed off Puerto Rico 3-0 within the third-place play-off to safe the ultimate berth.
The US are a dominant drive at each stage in Concacaf ladies's soccer, with U-17 stage no exception. This domination was once more in proof in Santo Domingo, as they secured their third consecutive regional title within the class and booked their place at this yr’s World Cup. Their star participant in qualifying was Melina Rebimbas, who netted each her aspect’s objectives within the semi-final defeat of Canada, earlier than grabbing a seventy fifth minute winner within the remaining in opposition to Mexico to safe a fifth Concacaf Championship at this age stage. USA’s path to the ultimate was one thing of a procession. The group part noticed them rack up 38 unanswered objectives, together with 20 in opposition to Granada of their opening sport. The knockout part proved solely marginally extra taxing with Curacao brushed apart 11-0 within the spherical of 16, and Jamaica and Canada consigned to 4-0 and 3-0 defeats within the quarter- and semi-finals respectively.
The hardest check got here within the remaining in opposition to fierce rivals Mexico, the one staff that managed to breach Victoria Safradin's aim all event. The goalkeeper performed in 4 of her aspect’s video games, conceding only a solitary aim en path to choosing up the Golden Glove. Unsurprisingly, she was not the one member of Natalia Astrain’s aspect to assert a person award, midfielder Riley Jackson being voted Participant of the Event for a sequence of imperious shows and contributing two objectives alongside the best way.
It needs to be mentioned, nonetheless, that USA haven’t at all times loved such hegemony at this stage after failing to qualify for 2 of the six World Cups held thus far: Costa Rica 2014 and Trinidad and Tobago 2010. For all their regional success, they’re nonetheless searching for a maiden U-17 world title. They nearest they got here was on the inaugural version, New Zealand 2008, once they misplaced 2-1 to Korea DPR within the remaining. Since then, they haven’t even reached the semis, a modest document they are going to be hoping to place proper in India.
The Mexicans made gentle work of the group stage because of 27 unanswered objectives, together with two 10-0 triumphs. They carried that type into the knockout part, successful 15-0 in opposition to Guyana then 10-0 in opposition to their Dominican Republic hosts.
Puerto Rico proved extra resilient within the final 4 however have been nonetheless overwhelmed 5-0. In reaching the ultimate, Mexico racked up 57 objectives, yet another than USA, and had not conceded any both. Their entrance line was ruthlessly efficient with 4 gamers contributing eight objectives or extra: Valerie Vargas (10), Tatiana Flores (9), Maribel Flores and Layla Sirdah (8).
Mexico went into the decider in opposition to their northern rivals with no little dedication, having narrowly misplaced the earlier two finals to them: 2-1 in 2016 and 3-2 in 2018. In 2013, nonetheless, they did prevail over the Stars and Stripes on penalties within the semi-final en path to their solely regional title thus far at this stage. A second appeared possible on Sunday after Maribel Flores levelled in opposition to on 66 minutes, just for Rebimbas to seize the winner ten minutes later. Their comfort, after all, was a ticket to India, the place they are going to be making their sixth successive look on the world finals. El Tri have solely as soon as missed out on an U-17 World Cup (2008) and are ranked quantity eight within the record of groups with most video games performed on the finals (20). Their aim now could be to go one higher than in 2018, once they misplaced the ultimate 2-1 to Spain, and declare a maiden world title within the class.
Canada, for his or her half, had a comparatively easy passage to the semi-finals, their trickiest second being a 1-1 draw with Jamaica within the group part. That crucially allowed them to high the part on aim distinction and keep away from a conflict with USA within the final eight that would have jeopardised their World Cup hopes. The did ultimately go all the way down to USA within the semis, establishing a play-off for third place in opposition to Puerto Rico, which they gained 3-0 with strikes from Anna Hauer, Amanda Allen and Rosa Maalouf. Certainly, the latter emphatically left her mark on the competitors, successful the Golden Boot with a record-equalling 12 objectives. That feat, achieved additionally by USA’s Summer season Inexperienced in 2012, marks Maalouf out as one to observe carefully in India. Canada’s presence at this yr’s World Cup can have come as no shock to soccer watchers, the staff being one in every of solely six nations to have graced each version thus far. The Canucks’ greatest efficiency was final trip, at Uruguay 2018, once they reached the semi-finals solely to lose to Mexico. Might they go one step additional this yr?
606 USA went 606 minutes with out conceding on the 2022 Concacaf U-17 Girls's Championship, a sequence lastly ended by Mexico’s Maribel Torres within the remaining. 8.3 USA and Mexico each racked up 58 objectives in seven video games, a median of 8.3 per sport. The pair now share the best goals-per-game common within the event’s historical past. 1 Natalia Astrain grew to become the primary feminine coach to steer a staff to the Concacaf U-17 Girls's Championship.
"We labored for six months to realize this aim. This staff is wonderful: we put in a variety of effort, not simply those that performed, however the entire squad. All of them contributed to successful this title." Lauren Martinho, USA participant "We’re all overjoyed to have certified. We’ll proceed to work exhausting each on and off the pitch for the unimaginable alternative that’s enjoying at a FIFA World Cup." Clare Logan, Canada participant
English
EN
Copyright © 1994 -2022 FIFA. All rights reserved.
