MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica – A Group A doubleheader at the Montego Bay Sports Complex’s Catherine Hall Stadium on Wednesday will start the 2013 CONCACAF Women's Under-17 Championship. In the opener, Mexico takes on Haiti, followed by an encounter between host Jamaica and El Salvador.
The competition will continue Thursday with Group B action as Canada meets Guatemala and Trinidad & Tobago faces defending champion United States.
The top two teams from each group will advance to the semifinals, with the two eventual finalists earning tickets to the 2014 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, which will be hosted by Costa Rica.
Here’s a glance at the eight participants:
CANADA
Previous Appearances: 3 - 2008, 2010, 2012
Best Finish: Champion - 2010
Method of Qualification: automatic North American entrant
All-Time Finals Record: GP – 15; W – 11; D – 1; L – 3; GF – 36; GA – 11
- Canada has advanced to the last two finals, defeating Mexico 1-0 in 2010 and dropping a 1-0 decision to the United States in 2012.
- Conceded 1 goal or less in last 11 games in the competition.
EL SALVADOR
Previous Appearances: 1 - 2008
Best Finish: never advanced past Group Stage
Method of Qualification: Won UNCAF qualifying series v Nicaragua (4-3 on aggregate)
Qualification Record: GP – 2; W – 1; D – 0; L – 1; GF – 4; GA – 3
All-Time Finals Record: GP – 3, W – 0; D – 0; L – 3; GF – 2; GA – 22
- Sandra Cortez led team in scoring during Central American qualifying with two goals…Lesly Molina and Maggi Segovia had one goal each.
GUATEMALA
Previous Appearances: 1 - 2012
Best Finish: never advanced past Group Stage
Method of Qualification: Won UNCAF qualifying series v Belize (15-0 on aggregate)
Qualification Record: GP – 2; W – 2; D – 0; L – 0; GF – 15; GA – 0
All-Time Finals Record: GP – 3; W – 0; D – 0; L – 3; GF – 2; GA – 16
- Anika Schaps led team in scoring during Central American qualifying with six goals, netting hat-tricks twice against Belize.
HAITI
Previous Appearances: 1 - 2010
Best Finish: never advanced past Group Stage
Method of Qualification: Runner-up – CFU Women’s Under-17 Tournament
Qualification Record: GP – 8; W – 6; D – 0; L – 2; GF – 68; GA – 4
All-Time Finals Record: GP – 3; W – 0; D – 0; L – 3; GF – 0; GA – 12
- Batcheba Louis scored 11 goals in a 22-0 Caribbean qualifying win over the U.S. Virgin Islands.
JAMAICA
Previous Appearances: 3 - 2008, 2010, 2012
Best Finish: never advanced past Group Stage
Method of Qualification: Host
All-Time Finals Record: GP – 9; W – 2; D – 1; L – 6; GF – 11; GA – 24
- Unbeaten in 3 of its last 4 games in the competition (2-1-1).
MEXICO
Previous Appearances: 3 - 2008, 2010, 2012
Best Finish: Runner-up - 2010
Method of Qualification: automatic North American entrant
All-Time Finals Record: GP – 15; W – 9; D – 0; L – 6; GF – 38; GA – 12
- 3-0-0 all-time in tournament openers (14 GF, 0 GA).
TRINIDAD & TOBAGO
Previous Appearances: 2 - 2008, 2012
Best Finish: never advanced past Group Stage
Method of Qualification: Champion – CFU Women’s Under-17 Tournament
Qualification Record: GP – 8; W – 7; D – 0; L – 1; GF – 44; GA – 4
All-Time Finals Record: GP – 6; W – 1; D – 2; L – 3; GF – 6; GA – 17
- Zoe Swift scored five goals in a Caribbean qualifier against Grenada.
- Summer Arjoon scored the game-winning goal in a 1-0 win over Haiti in CFU Women’s Under-17 Tournament final
UNITED STATES
Previous Appearances: 3- 2008, 2010, 2012
Best Finish: Champion - 2008, 2012
Method of Qualification: automatic North American entrant
All-Time Finals Record: GP – 15; W – 14; D – 1; L – 0; GF – 93; GA – 2
- Scored 6 goals or more in 9 of 15 all-time matches in competition.
- Conceded 0 goals in last 918 minutes of competition play.
CONCACAF Women’s Under-17 Championship 2013 Jamaica
October 30 – November 9, 2013
at Montego Bay, Jamaica (Catherine Hall Stadium at Montego Bay Sports Complex)
FIRST ROUND GROUPS
Group A: Jamaica, Mexico, Haiti, El Salvador
Group B: United States, Canada, Guatemala, Trinidad & Tobago
SCHEDULE
Times U.S. Eastern (local time in parentheses)
GROUP STAGE
Wednesday - October 30, 2013
Mexico vs. Haiti, 4:30 p.m. (3:30 p.m.)
Jamaica vs. El Salvador, 7:00 p.m. (6:00 p.m.)
Thursday - October 31, 2013
Canada vs. Guatemala, 4:30 p.m. (3:30 p.m.)
Trinidad & Tobago vs. United States, 7:00 p.m. (6:00 p.m.)
Friday - November 1, 2013
El Salvador vs. Mexico, 4:30 p.m. (3:30 p.m.)
Jamaica vs. Haiti, 7:00 p.m. (6:00 p.m.)
Saturday - November 2, 2013
Canada vs. Trinidad & Tobago, 4:30 p.m. (3:30 p.m.)
United States vs. Guatemala, 7:00 p.m. (6:00 p.m.)
Sunday - November 3, 2013
Haiti vs. El Salvador, 3:30 p.m. (3:30 p.m.)
Jamaica vs. Mexico, 6:00 p.m. (6:00 p.m.)
Monday - November 4, 2013
Guatemala vs. Trinidad & Tobago, 3:30 p.m. (3:30 p.m.)
United States vs. Canada, 6:00 p.m. (6:00 p.m.)
SEMIFINALS *
Thursday - November 7, 2013
SF #1: Winner Group B vs. Runner-up Group A, 3:00 p.m. (3:00 p.m.)
SF #2: Winner Group A vs. Runner-up Group B, 6:00 p.m. (6:00 p.m.)
THIRD-PLACE MATCH & FINAL *
Saturday - November 9, 2013
Loser SF #1 vs. Loser SF#2, 3:00 p.m. (3:00 p.m.)
Winner SF #1 vs. Winner SF#2, 6:00 p.m. (6:00 p.m.)
* CONCACAF reserves the right to change the time and order of matches.