Canada head into the knockout phase of the Concacaf Women’s Under-20 Championship after finishing in second place in their group behind winners Jamaica. Canada finished with one win, one draw and one loss after Jamaica won 3-1 in the Wednesday afternoon group finale.
Jamaica’s Jody Brown, the only FIFA Women’s World Cup player at the Concacaf Women’s Under-20 Championship, set the tone with the 1-0 goal in the 20th minute, her team-best fourth goal in three matches. Lacey Murray (80’) and Marlee Fray (88’) scored on transition attacks in the last 10 minutes before Tanya Boychuk scored for Canada in added time (90’+1).
“We talked to the players about leaving it all on the field and I think tactically we got it right, but Jamaica are a transition team and they scored three transition goals,” said Rhian Wilkinson, Canada Soccer’s Women’s U-20 Coach. “Jamaica did exactly what they do really well. We talked about it and we knew about their strength, so in that way it is frustrating because we otherwise dominated the game except where it matter most on the scoresheet.”
Every Canada U-20 match will be broadcast live in Canada on OneSoccer.ca. Canada’s next match is Saturday 29 February against either Cuba or Honduras in the Round of 16 in San Cristobal, Dominican Republic (Match 28 at 16.00 local / 15.00 ET / 12.00 PT). Fans will find extended coverage across Canada Soccer’s digital channels on Facebook, Youtube, Instagram and Twitter featuring the social media hashtags #canw20 and #CU20W.
In the knockout phase, the Round of 16 features eight matches across the weekend in Santo Domingo and San Cristobal, Dominican Republic (29 February and 1 March). The Concacaf Quarterfinals are Wednesday 4 March followed by the Concacaf Semifinals on Friday 6 March and the Concacaf Final on Sunday 8 March. The two nations that win their Concacaf Semifinals qualify for the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup Panama and Costa Rica 2020.
In the Concacaf Quarterfinals, the winner of Match 28 (Canada’s knockout match) will face the winner of Match 25 (St. Lucia against either USA or Dominican Republic) on Friday 6 March in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic (Match 33 at 15.00 local / 14.00 ET / 11.00 PT).
Canada’s all-time record in 85 Concacaf women’s youth matches is now 61 wins, 7 draws and 17 losses (all age categories from U-15 to U-20).
On Wednesday, Canada held the edge in the first 15 minutes, with their first big chance in the 13th minute after Kaila Novak was put through on a run. Novak got around the goalkeeper, but from a tight angle missed the target with her shot.
In the 20th minute, Jamaica opened the scoring after Brown got past one defender and then squeezed past two more on her run into the box. She then finished with a left-footed shot that beat the Canadian goalkeeper.
Canada continued to boss possession through the first half and were aggressively back on the attack early in the second half. In the 46th minute, Lara Kazandjian nearly connected with Boychuk at the back post; a few minutes later, a Novak cross was headed by Boychuk, but into the hands of goalkeeper Ella Dennis. In the 53rd minute, an Emma Regan ball forward was headed by Jazmine Wilkinson into the hands of Dennis.
In the 57th minute, an impressive combination down the right wing delivered a cross that Boychuk headed just wide of the back post. The chances kept coming as Canada pushed for the equaliser.
Finally on a counter attack the wrong way, Jamaica made it 2-0 in the 80th minute. After more Canada chances in the last 10 minutes, Jamaica scored again for the 3-0 scoreline in the 88th minute.
In the dying minutes, Wilkinson shot just wide on a low shot just past the goalkeeper. On the ensuring goalkick,Canada finally caught their break as the kick bounced off Boychuk’s backside over the goalkeeper and into the net.
Canada’s starting XI featured Anna Karpenko in goal, Emma Regan at right back, Jade Rose and Sonia Walk at centre back, Caleigh Boeckx at left back, and Caitlin Shaw, Jazmine Wilkinson, Kaila Novak, Samantha Chang, Lara Kazandjian and Tanya Boychuk from the midfield up through to the attack.
FIFA U-20 WOMEN’S WORLD CUP COSTA RICA & PANAMA 2020
The biennial FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup will take place in August 2020 in four venues across Costa Rica and Panama. Including four nations from Concacaf (the two hosts plus two qualified nations), the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup Costa Rica & Panama 2020 will feature 16 nations from around the world.
Canada Soccer’s Women’s National Youth Teams have won four Concacaf youth titles: the 2004 and 2008 Concacaf Women’s Under-20 Championship, the 2010 Concacaf Women’s Under-17 Championship, and the 2014 Concacaf Girls’ Under-15 Championship. Canada have qualified for seven editions of the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup (including a silver medal at Canada 2002) and all six editions of the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup (including a fourth-place finish at Uruguay 2018).
