The outcome means Canada will face USA in the semi-final stage on Thursday 18 March while Mexico will face Costa Rica in the other semi-final match on that same day. The two semi-final winners not only advance to the confederation final on 20 March, but also qualify for the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup Trinidad and Tobago 2010.
For this third match of the competition, coach Rosenfeld was forced to make one change to his starting lineup from two nights earlier because of an injury to defender Katherine Caverly. For the match against Mexico, Canada’s starting XI featured Sabrina D’Angelo in goal, Sophie Thérien at left back, Alison Clarke and Nicole Setterlund at centre back, Yazmin Ongtengco-Hintzen at right back, Chantale Campbell, Kylie Davis and Diamond Simpson at midfield, and Caroline Beaulne, Nour Ghoneim and Haisha Cantave up front.
The match started with both sides looking to maintain possession, but neither able to build much offence. Canada won a free kick and a corner kick in the first 15 minutes; Mexico countered with one of each over the next few minutes. In the 26th minute, Ghoneim made a good run to win Canada ’s second corner kick; one minute later, Mexico won its second corner kick at the other end.
For Canada , Chantale Campbell did well to win several challenges in the midfield. On defence, captain Setterlund made a great run back in the 28th minute to neutralize a Mexican run. In the 31st minute, it was centre back Alison Clarke outmuscling two Mexicans in the midfield and pushing forward past two more to get the ball in deep.
Through 45 minutes, neither side could keep it deep to sustain much in terms of offence. It was as such a split play that put Mexico up 1-0 before the half. On a free kick from 35 yards out, debutan Llamas struck her shot over D’Angelo and under the crossbar for the first goal of the match.
Before the start of the second half, coach Rosenfeld made his first change, replacing striker Cantave with the tall Haillie Price who came in to make her competition debut. Price played high up front in between Ghoneim and Beaulne.
Canada ’s second substitution came in the 57th minute as Davis came off in favour of Sabrina Hémond. Midfielder Hémond, who scored in the opening match against Jamaica , was making her third entry in three matches.
Canada’s third and final substitution came just seven minutes later as right back Ally Courtnall made her return to the pitch for the first time since the opening match four nights earlier. Thérien came off and Ongtengco-Hintzen switched from the right side to left side so that Courtnall could take her natural position at right back.
In the second half, Canada did start to make some runs forward. In the 59th minute, Thérien played a ball through that Price nearly caught before Mexican goalkeeper Cecilia Santiago covered up. In the 65th minute, Ghoneim tried but couldn’t get a foot on a shot that might have been danger were it struck on target. In the 68th minute, Courtnall made her first run down the right side.
In the 71st minute, Simpson made a good push forward to win Canada its fifth corner kick of the game.
Just before the corner kick, Mexico made the first of two quick changes. It made its second change one minute later in the 72nd minute. Substitution number three came 16 minutes later in the 88th minute.
As the match drew near its end, Canada had two wonderful chances in the 86th minute following coach Rosenfeld’s decision to move Courtnall off the wing and up as an extra attacker in the middle. Simpson was again the catalyst as she won her challenge in the box and pushed the ball through the six-yard box. No Canadian could get a touch on the ball to put it in.
On the ensuing corner kick, the ball again returned dangerously into the Mexican box, with this time Setterlund trying to force her way ahead of goalkeeper Santiago’s cover up.
Canada maintained good possession late in the game, but would not find the equalising goal against Mexico . The match closed out with Mexico the victor on the Llamas free-kick goal.
Canada , whose title sponsor is BMO Financial Group, finished second in group play with two wins and one loss. It advances to the semi-final stage for a date with USA on Thursday 18 March. That one match will decide Canada’s entry to the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup Trinidad and Tobago 2010.
CANADA
G- Beanlands, Rachelle | CAN / Ottawa South United | Ottawa, ON
G- D’Angelo, Sabrina | CAN / NTC Ontario | Welland, ON
F- Beaulne, Caroline | CAN / Longueuil | Longueuil, QC
M- Campbell, Chantale | CAN / North London | London, ON
F- Cantave, Haisha | CAN / Ottawa South United | Orléans, ON
D- Caverly, Katherine | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC | Coquitlam, BC
D- Clarke, Alison | CAN / Winnipeg South End United | Winnipeg, MB
D/M- Courtnall, Ally | USA / Eagles SC | Victoria, BC
F- Davis, Kylie | CAN / Lac St-Louis Lakers | Ile-Bizard, QC
F- Ghoneim, Nour | CAN / Richmond Hill | Aurora, ON
M- Hémond, Sabrina | CAN / Lac St-Louis Lakers | Sherbrooke, QC
D- Jainudeen, Shannen | CAN / Ajax United | Toronto, ON
F- McIntosh, Zakiya | CAN / NTC Ontario | Ajax, ON
M/F- McNicoll, Kinley | CAN / NTC Ontario | Oakville, ON
D- Ongtengco-Hintzen, Yazmin | CAN / Ajax United | Whitby, ON
D- Price, Haillie | CAN / Burlington Tigers | Ancaster, ON
M/F- Raymer, Abigail | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC | Victoria, BC
M- Setterlund, Nicole | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC | White Rock, BC
M- Simpson, Diamond | CAN / Dixie Dragons | Mississauga, ON
D- Thérien, Sophie | CAN / Lac St-Louis Lakers | Kirkland, QC
Head of Delegation / Chef de délégation : Francis Millien
Head Coach / Entraîneure-chef : Bryan Rosenfeld
Assistant Coach / Entraîneure-adjoint : Lewis Page
Goalkeeper coach / Entraîneur des gardiens : Owen Braun
Manager / Gérant :Les Meszaros Equipment Manager / Gérant d’équipement : Jose Valdes
Video Coordinator / Coordinateur des vidéos : Linda Hathom
Doctor / Docteur : Dr. Darrell Menard
Athletic Therapist / Thérapeute athlétique : Maria Xenos
Strength and conditioning coach / Entraîneur de force et conditionnement : Paolo Pacione
Canadian Soccer Association
Leading Canada to victory and Canadians to a life-long passion for soccer www.CanadaSoccer.com