CHITRE, Panama – In an evening of high drama, Maria Paula Salas converted a penalty kick in second-half stoppage time and Costa Rica earned a 1-0 win over host Panama on Saturday to qualify for the 2018 CONCACAF Under-17 Women’s Championship.
Both sides entered the match on the last day of Central American qualifying with perfect 2W-0D-0L records, knowing that only one would secure a place in the CONCACAF event slated to take place in Nicaragua next year.
With the victory, Costa Rica finished atop the four-team table, scoring 10 goals and conceding none in three games.
The 2018 CONCACAF Under-17 Women’s Championship participants are: Bermuda, Canada, Costa Rica, Haiti, Mexico, Nicaragua, Puerto Rico and the United States.
CONCACAF.com summaries the action from the Estadio Los Milagros.
2017 CENTRAL AMERICAN UNDER-17 WOMEN’S QUALIFYING
Estadio Los Milagros -- Chitre, Panama
October 24-28, 2017
(Games Played-Wins-Draw-Losses-Goals For-Goals Against-Points)
Costa Rica 3-3-0-0-10-0-9
Panama 3-2-0-1-7-1-6
El Salvador 3-1-0-2-1-7-3
Honduras 3-0-0-3-0-10-0
October 24, 2017
El Salvador 0, Costa Rica 5
Priscila Chinchilla 7’, 63’; Medolyn Guerrero 21’; Maria Paula Salas 49’ pen; Pamela Gutierrez 67’
Panama 5, Honduras 0
Rosario Vargas 4’; Anuvis Angulo 18’, 61’, 84’; Yasli Atencio 30’
October 26, 2017
Costa Rica 4, Honduras 0
Priscila Chinchilla 8’; Maria Paula Salas 25’ pen; Daniela Contreras 29’; Medolyn Guerrero 31’
Panama 2, El Salvador 0
Anuvis Angulo 39’; 67’
October 28, 2017
Honduras 0, El Salvador 1
Lesly Calderon 78’
- In a match pitting two teams previously eliminated from contention, El Salvador earned a third-place finish thanks to a 1-0 win over Honduras.
- Lesly Calderon struck for the game-winning goal in the 78th minute.
- Panama’s Anuvis Angulo finished as the tournament’s top scorer with five goals.
Panama 0, Costa Rica 1
Maria Paula Salas 90’+3 pen
- In second-half stoppage time,.Medolyn Guerrero was fouled in the penalty area and Maria Paula Salas (90’+3) successfully struck from the spot to give Costa Rica a 1-0 win over Panama.
- Salas was the only player in Central American qualifying to score in each of her team’s three games, all by penalty kick.
- Costa Rica will appear in its fourth CONCACAF Under-17 Women’s Championship, the most of any Central American team.