DOMINICAN Republic – Mexico are champions of the 2023 Concacaf Women’s Under-20 Championship in the Dominican Republic after defeating the United States 2-1 in the Final on Sunday at the Estadio Olimpico Felix Sanchez in Santo Domingo.
Captain Fatima Servin was the hero with the winning goal in the final minutes to give Mexico their second Concacaf Women’s U20 crown.
The chances were few and far between in the first 45 minutes, with both defenses closing down effectively on spaces. The best scoring opportunity for either side was an Onyeka Gamero effort for the U.S. that skidded wide in the 38’.
The U.S. looked poised to take a lead early in the second half after a penalty was called, but Mexico GK Itzel Velasco made a superb save, diving to her left to block the attempt from Tessa Dellarose.
Velasco’s penalty save gave Mexico a big lift and they parlayed it into the opening score in the 72’ when Tatiana Flores did well to find Mailin Orozco, whose right-footed shot beat U.S. GK Teagan Wy for a 1-0 Mexico lead.
The U.S. went right to work on finding an equalizer and Gamero would rise to the occasion by ripping a left-footed shot that went blazing into the top left corner of net to even the score at 1-1 in the 80’.
However, the last word belonged to Mexico, as Servin was at the right place and at the right time in the 88’, pouncing on a deflection off a U.S. defender and steering home the title-winning goal for her country.
