Haiti, Canada to battle for U-17 World Cup berth as US, Mexico to decide Championship honours Featured

By Sports Desk February 10, 2024 633
Kimmie Ascanio scored a late hat-trick against Haiti. Kimmie Ascanio scored a late hat-trick against Haiti. Concacaf Media

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.

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