Mexico defeats Canada at CONCACAF Women’s Under-20 Championship

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ALAJUELA — Montserrat Saldivar scored twice Monday to help defending champion Mexico defeat Canada 4-2 and finish atop Group B in a weather-interrupted game at the CONCACAF Women’s Under-20 Championship.

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Both teams had already accomplished their goal of qualifying for the 2026 FIFA U-20 World Cup by virtue of assuring themselves a top-two finish in the group with wins over Panama and Nicaragua. But topping the pool likely means avoiding the seven-time champion U.S. in the semifinal.

Monday’s game, which started in a torrential downpour, was tied 1-1 in the 30th minute when American referee Alyssa Nichols pulled the bedraggled players from the pitch at Estadio Alejandro Morera Soto.

The game resumed some two hours 40 minutes later. The heavy rain had stopped by then but there was still some water left on the pitch, making for some difficult distribution.

Maria Gonzalez also scored for Mexico, which profited from an own goal by Janet Okeke.

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Teegan Melenhorst and Annabelle Chukwu replied for Canada, which outshot Mexico 20-12 (5-4 in shots on target).

The eight-team CONCACAF tournament, which runs through Sunday, will send four CONCACAF sides to the 24-team FIFA U-20 World Cup, scheduled for September 2026 in Poland.

The U.S., which has already qualified for the CONCACAF semifinals at 2-0-0, wraps up Group A play Tuesday against Costa Rica (1-0-1) while Puerto Rica (0-1-1) faces Guyana (0-2-0).

The Americans have lost just three of 64 matches all-time at the tournament.

Trailing 3-1 at the break, Canada sent on Chukwu, who scored three goals in the first two games of the tournament. And the 18-year-old from Ottawa did not disappoint, cutting the lead to 3-2 in the 59th minute with a header off a Melenhorst cross following a Canadian corner.

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Chukwu, who scored three goals in Canada’s opening two wins, added to her Canadian youth international scoring record, previously held by Christine Sinclair. Chukwu now has 38 goals in 40 games from the under-15 to under-20 level.

Chukwu, who plays collegiate soccer at Notre Dame, has been called into camp by the Canadian senior side but has yet to win a cap.

Mexico added an insurance goal in the 84th minute via Saldivar, who beat Canadian ‘keeper Noelle Henning after a pass by Michel Fong split the Canadian defence.

The wet conditions made for spotty early handling and Canada went ahead in the 18th minute after an errant clearance by Mexico goalkeeper Mariangela Medina, who plays collegiate soccer at UCLA. The ball went to Melenhorst, who roofed a shot past Medina.

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Mexico pulled even in the 26th minute when Alice Soto’s low corner hit Okeke at the near post and deflected in past Henning.

After the weather delay, Gonzalez put Mexico ahead in the 37th minute after Henning had punched away a Mexico corner. The ball came out to a Mexican player whose shot bounced off a Canadian defender to Gonzalez, who found the target.

Mexico added to the lead in first-half stoppage time on a lightning-quick counter attack. A long pass found Saldivar, who outmuscled Sienna Gibson, the last defender, before dodging an onrushing Henning and firing the ball into the untended goal.

Canada had 52 per cent possession and outshot Mexico 9-8 in the first half but the Mexicans had a 3-2 edge in shots on target.

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Canada has taken part in nine of the previous 11 editions of the FIFA U-20 tournament, missing out in 2010 and 2018. The Canadians lost 2-1 to Spain in the round of 16 at last year’s FIFA U-20 World Cup in Colombia.

Canada coach Cindy Tye made five changes to her starting 11, one forced by the suspension of Ines Nourani, who was set off against Nicaragua. Mexico was unchanged.

Canada booked its ticket to the CONCACAF tournament by winning its qualifying group with ease in February. The Canadians outscored their qualifying opposition 43-0, dispatching Dominica 22-0, Bermuda 9-0 and host Trinidad and Tobago 12-0.

The U.S. and Mexico, as the top-ranked countries in CONCACAF, skipped the qualifying round and were given direct entry to the CONCACAF championship. Canada and 23 other teams had to win their way there, with Costa Rica, Guyana, Nicaragua, Panama and Puerto Rico also topping their groups.

Canada won the CONCACAF tournament in 2004 and 2008 and was runner-up to the U.S. in 2002, when the age group was under-19. The Americans are looking for their eighth title, having last won in 2020 and 2022.

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