Tanya Samarzich (left) scored Mexico's first goal in its 10-0 win over Martinique in the CONCACAF Women's Championship on October 18, 2014, in Bridgeview, Illinois. (Photo: Mexsport)
BRIDGEVIEW, ILL. -- Mexico kept its hopes of reaching the semifinals of the 2014 CONCACAF Women's Championship alive by registering a 10-0 triumph over Martinique in a Group B match at Toyota Park on Saturday night.
Luz Duarte and second-half substitute Monica Ocampo both scored two goals. Tanya Samarzich, Sandra Stephany Mayor, Alina Garciamendez, Dinora Garza and Teresa Noyola added one each for the Mexicans (1-0-1, 3 points), who were gifted an own-goal.
The Tricolor, which recorded its largest-ever win in the competition, needs at least a draw against Jamaica in its final group game in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday to book a spot in the semifinals. Martinique (0-0-2, 0), which is eliminated from contention, will play Costa Rica the same day.
Mexico head coach Leonardo Cuellar sat out nine starters from his team's 1-0 opening loss to the Central Americans. The strategy worked to perfection as the Mexicans surged to a 5-0 halftime advantage.
Samarzich, the joint-top scorer in the 2014 CONCACAF Under-20 Championship, showed her skill and determination with the senior side in the sixth minute. She got between two defenders at the far post and slotted home a right-wing cross past goalkeeper Cathy Bellune.
Garza controlled the right flank, delivering cross after cross. Duarte converted the first one in the 28th minute for a two-goal lead. Six minutes later, Mayor dribbled down the right wing and fired a shot from a difficult angle for a 3-0 advantage.
A Martinique defender accidentally knocked the ball into her own net off a Garza corner kick in the 36th minute for the Mexicans' fourth goal, before Garciamendez headed home a right-wing cross from six yards five minutes ahead of the break.
Mexico did not stop in the second half. Duarte netted her second, this one from distance in the 49th minute, Garza -- whose right-sided work made life difficult for the Caribbean side -- struck off a 25-yard free kick in the 58th minute.
Ocampo took advantage of a deflection off a Martinique defender in the 75th minute and of her foes' inability to clear the ball out of the penalty area with three minutes left in normal time.
Two minutes into stoppage time, Noyola connected from distance to complete the scoring.
NOTES: Mexico had scored eight goals twice in CWC games (1991: 8-1 v Martinique; 1998: 8-0 v Guatemala … Costa Rica earned a spot in the CWC semifinals thanks to 2-1 win over Jamaica in the first game of the doubleheader.
To view Highlights of the game, click here.
