MIAMI, Florida – The 2022 Concacaf W Championship kicks off July 4 in Monterrey, Mexico with eight teams in pursuit of lifting the trophy and proclaiming themselves champions of women’s football in the Concacaf region.
Each of the eight teams boast a special kind of player who is capable of making a play that can change the course of a game and swing things in their team’s favor.
For Panama, that player is GK Yenith Bailey.
There is no question that for the remainder of her career, the CWC will always hold a special place in the heart of Bailey. It was four years ago in the 2018 tournament in which Bailey announced herself to the world.
At the age of 17, she was in net for all six of Panama’s matches, leading her side to a fourth-place finish. It all started in the group stage when she registered a clean sheet in her team’s opening 3-0 victory over Trinidad and Tobago.
But what caught the attention of fans around the world was what happened in Panama’s second match. Despite losing 5-0 to the reigning world champions United States, Bailey was sensational in goal, making a number of otherworldly saves, prompting the likes of U.S. stars Carli Lloyd, Crystal Dunn and others to congratulate Bailey for her performance at the conclusion of the match.
Bailey then followed that up with another clean sheet in a 2-0 win versus Mexico in Panama’s group stage finale.
While Bailey and the Canaleras just missed out on a berth to the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup in France, losing to Jamaica in a penalty shootout in the Third-Place Match, it was nevertheless a memorable tournament for the young shot-stopper.
Bailey took home the Golden Glove Award for her efforts after making an astounding 24 saves throughout the tournament.
Overall, Bailey has appeared in 17 matches with the Panamanian Senior Women’s National Team, including 15 in either the CWC or CWC Qualifying, including one match in 2022 CWC Qualifying, helping Panama finish atop Group D.
She also starred in the 2020 Concacaf Women’s Olympic Qualifying Championship, making 13 saves in two appearances.
For a player who famously switched from being a midfielder to goalkeeper just one year before her breakout performance at the 2018 CWC, the 21-year-old has already become a game-changer in goal for her national team.
