BRADENTON, Florida – Mexico have clinched a berth in the 2018 FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup in Uruguay with a 2-1 win over Canada on Sunday in the semifinals of the CONCACAF Women’s Under-17 Championship.
It will be Mexico’s fifth appearance in a Women’s Under-17 World Cup and also earns El Tricolor a spot in the CWU17 final for the fifth time.
Canada will hope to claim CONCACAF’s third ticket to the 2018 U17WWC with a win in the third-place game on Tuesday.
Mexico enjoyed a quick start and took an early 1-0 lead in the 6’ thanks to an Anette Vazquez header.
Canada would respond though, as Teni Akindoju tied the score 1-1 in the 37’ by taking a cross from the right flank from Jordyn Huitema and depositing a right-footed shot into the back of the net.
Mexico nearly regained the lead just a minute later when a chance was presented to Alison Gonzalez, but her shot was saved by the fingertips of Canada GK Anna Karpenko, who pushed the ball to the crossbar and eventually cleared.
El Tricolor would find a second before halftime, as a foul on Gonzalez in the area in the 45’ earned Mexico a penalty kick and Nicole Perez calmly converted to hand Mexico a 2-1 lead.
Canada pushed numbers forward throughout the second half in search of an equalizer, but the Mexico defense stayed firm and held on to punch its ticket to Uruguay.
