Jazmin Aguas (#20) scored three goals and had one assist in Mexico's 10-1 win over Honduras in a 2014 CONCACAF Women's Under-20 Championship match on January 12, 2014, in the George Town, Cayman Islands. (Photo: Mexsport)
Player of the Match presented by CONCACAF’s Technical Study Group: Jazmin Aguas (Mexico)
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Jazmin Aguas (Mexico)[/caption]
GEORGE TOWN, Cayman Islands – Jazmin Aguas and second-half substitute Tanya Samarzich scored three goals each to power Mexico past Honduras 10-1 in a CONCACAF Women’s Under-20 Championship match on Sunday at the Truman Bodden Sports Complex.
The win temporarily propels the Mexicans into sole possession of first place in Group B, depending on the result of the Cayman Islands-Trinidad & Tobago encounter later in the evening. A Trinidad victory will guarantee that it and Mexico will advance to the semifinals with a game to spare.
Honduras -- participating in the CONCACAF event for the first time -- was tasked with limiting Mexico’s potent attack, which yielded six goals in a shutout victory over Cayman on Friday.
The Tricolor went ahead in the third minute through a curling right-footed free kick by Cynthia Pineda on the left side of the penalty area.
Aguas headed home her first in the 19th minute, flying through the air to connect with Paulina Solis’ left-side cross.
Eight minutes later, Amanda Perez tallied her second goal of the tournament. Greta Espinoza took the ball down the left side and crossed for the unmarked United States-based midfielder to knock past goalkeeper Kelin Palma from six-yards out.
Mexico put the game out of Honduras’ reach one minute into first-half injury time as Aguas notched a second to make it 4-0. Taylor Alvarado provided the service with a cross from the right.
Samarzich entered the game at half-time and went on to repeat her three-goal performance from the opener.
She emphatically struck seven minutes following the break, smashing in Pineda’s poke pass into the box.
The University of Southern California star added two more in the 64th and 76th minutes, slotting in from left-sided crosses on both occasions.
In between those goals, Briana Campos converted a 68th minute penalty kick after Aguas was fouled in the box and Aguas then completed her hat-trick with 15 minutes left in regulation time.
The crowd cheered loudly for Honduras in the 80th minute, when Seidy Zapata perfectly executed an alert play. The 18-year-old midfielder, noticing substitute goalkeeper Esthefanny Barreras slightly off her line, launched a right-footed effort from 35 yards that sailed into the net for the Central Americans’ first-ever goal in the competition.
Briana Campos finalized the scoreline in the 87th minute, heading in an Aguas cross and ensuring that Mexico scored 10 goals for the third time in its competition history.
The Mexicans conclude group play on Tuesday against Trinidad, while Honduras meets the Cayman Islands the same day.
NOTES: Mexico’s Tanya Samarzich is the tournament’s top scorer with six goals.
