Caribbean side Haiti and Canada will do battle to decide Concacaf's other representative at this year's FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup, as the curtains come down on the Concacaf Women’s Under-17 Championship in Mexico, on Sunday.

Both United States and Mexico secured their sixth and seventh World Cup berths by virtue of contrasting 7-1 and 2-1 semi-finals victories over Haiti and Canada respectively. The powerhouse teams will again lock horns in Sunday's final to crown the winners of the championship.

United States, Mexico, the winner of the third-place game between Haiti and Canada, will join host Dominican Republic as Concacaf's representatives at the 16-team Under-17 Women's World Cup later this year. This will be the first time Dominican Republic hosts a FIFA World Cup, and their first participation at this age level.

United States 7-1 Haiti

The day started with defending champions United States again demonstrating their class, as they overpowered Haiti in a lopsided affair.

After applying early pressure and were denied on two occasions by the left upright, as well as good excellent glove work by Haiti's Kimberly Prince, United States inevitably broke the deadlock in the 24th minute through Mya Townes, who finished off a pass from Melanie Barcenas.

Kennedy Fuller then applied the finish tough to an Alexandra Pfeiffer cross in the 40th, to put United States 2-0 up at the break.

Fuller then scored her eighth goal of the tournament in the 47th with a smooth right-footed stroke into net, before Pfeiffer added her name to the scoresheet in the 59th, when she hauled in a long ball from Katie Scott.

Though up against it at 0-4 down, Haiti battled bravely and eventually pulled one back through striker Lourdjina Etienne, who converted her seventh goal of the tournament from the penalty spot in the 80th.

However, United States were far from done, and Kimmie Ascanio's hat-trick in a six-minute span, ensured the North Americans ended strongly. Her first came in the 83rd from dead centre of the 18-yard box, with the second coming two minutes later with an assist from Scott.

Ascanio completed the hat-trick in the 88th when she pounced on a rebound off the post and calmly tucked away a left-footed shot, to cap the win.

 

Mexico 2-1 Canada

Things were not as straightforward for Mexico, as they required an extra-time from Vanessa Aguilar to edge Canada in a lively encounter.

Mexico struck first courtesy of a 25th-minute right-footed strike from Carla Montes Frias from just outside the area.

 

The contest remained evenly poised from there as Canada responded strongly through Annabelle Chukwu, but were denied by Mexico's goalkeeper Camila Vazquez, who came up big with back-to-back saves in the 74th.

However, there was nothing Vazquez could do in the 75th when Chukwu unleashed a right-footed shot that bettered the custodian at her near post, to send the game into extra-time.

Mexico eventually found the winner in 101st minute when Aguilar followed up her initial blocked shot with a fine finish from an angle.

Despite suffering a 0-4 loss to Mexico in their Group A top-of-the-table clash, Caribbean side Haiti remains poised to secure one of three top spots at the Concacaf Women’s Under-17 Championship in Toluca, Mexico.

The Haitians, who placed second in Group A with six points, will face Group B winners and defending champions United States in one semi-final, while Mexico and Canada will lock horns in the other, on Friday. These will be followed by the third-place match and final on Sunday, February 11.

The two finalists and third-placed team will join host Dominican Republic as Concacaf's representatives at the 16-team Under-17 Women's World Cup later this year. This will be the first time Dominican Republic hosts a FIFA World Cup, and their first participation at this age level.

Hosts Mexico will take good form into their encounter against Mexico as they peppered Haiti's goal from the opening whistle of Monday's clash. However, it wasn't until the 34th minute that they inevitably broke the deadlock when Dana Sandoval fired past Haiti's goalkeeper Kimberlie Prince.

The El Tricolor increased their tempo on the resumption with three goals in a 14-minute span that pushed the scoreline beyond Haiti's reach.

Abril Fragoso scored 54th-minute free kick, which was followed by Dafne Sanchez's strike three minutes later. The scoreline was then capped by Djoulissa Pierre's 67th-minute own-goal.

On Tuesday, United States hammered neighbours Canada 5-0 to claim the top spot in Group B.

They opened the scoring in the ninth minute courtesy of Melanie Barcenas's powerfully struck right-footed shot from outside the area.

After hitting the woodwork three times through Ainsley McCammon, Rylee McLanahan and Jordyn Hardeman, United States eventually doubled the lead in the 51st minute through Alexandra Pfeiffer

Leena Powell added a third in the 57th when she turned in a rebound off a Pfeiffer shot, before Kennedy Fuller stretched the lead to 4-0 in the 59th with a sweeping shot that gave Canada's custodian Noelle Henning no chance at a save, in a goalmouth melee.

Y-Lan Nguyen then completed the rout for the defending champions with a composed 73rd-minute finish.

By all indications, it could be another United States versus Mexico showpiece, but both Haiti and Canada will be intent on turning their fortunes on Friday.

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