Canada qualifies for FIFA U20 Women's World Cup after beating Nicaragua

The Canadian Press

· Posted: Jun 01, 2025 8:35 AM EDT | Last Updated: 11 minutes ago

Canada booked its summons to the 2026 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup by virtuousness of its 4-1 triumph implicit Nicaragua coupled with Mexico's 4-0 triumph implicit Panama connected Saturday astatine the CONCACAF Women's U-20 Championship in Alajuela, Costa Rica.

The eight-team CONCACAF tournament, which runs done June 8 astatine Alejandro Morera Soto Stadium, volition nonstop 4 CONCACAF sides to the 24-team FIFA U-20 World Cup, scheduled for September 2026 successful Poland.

Group A astatine the CONCACAF tourney features big Costa Rica, the U.S., Puerto Rico and Guyana. The apical 2 from each radical beforehand to the semifinals, securing World Cup qualification successful the process.

With six points astatine 2-0-0, Canada and Mexico cannot beryllium caught by Panama oregon Nicaragua, some pointless astatine 0-2-0, with 1 crippled remaining. The young Canadians play defending champion Mexico connected Monday to determine the Group B winner.

Canada has taken portion successful 9 of the erstwhile 11 editions of the FIFA U-20 tournament, missing retired successful 2010 and 2018. The Canadians mislaid 2-1 to Spain successful the circular of 16 astatine past year's FIFA U-20 World Cup successful Colombia.

Canada had to past a first-half reddish paper and punishment successful dispatching Nicaragua (0-2-0).

Outshot Nicaragua 30-7

Despite being a subordinate down for 80-plus minutes, Canada outshot Nicaragua 30-7 (4-4 successful shots connected target), had 67.7 per cent possession and a 14-0 borderline successful corners.

Teegan Melenhorst, Anabelle Chukwu and Liana Tarasco scored for Canada (2-0-0), which besides profited from a Nicaragua ain goal.

Chukwu, who scored doubly successful Canada's opening 7-1 Group B triumph implicit Panama, added to her Canadian younker planetary scoring record, antecedently held by Christine Sinclair. Chukwu present has 37 goals successful 39 games from the under-15 to under-20 level.

The 18-year-old from Ottawa, who plays collegiate shot astatine Notre Dame, has been called into campy by the Canadian elder broadside but has yet to triumph a cap.

Captain Jenifer Sarantes scored for Nicaragua (0-2-0).

Nicaragua was blanked 6-0 by defending champion Mexico successful its opener.

Canada's Nourani receives reddish card

Canada was reduced to 10 women successful the 10th infinitesimal erstwhile Trinidad and Tobago referee Crystal Sobers showed Ines Nourani, judged to beryllium the past defender, a reddish paper for bodying Daniela Manzaneres to the crushed connected a Nicaragua counterattack aft an errant walk disconnected a Canada abbreviated corner.

Canada manager Cindy Tye sent connected defender Victoria Rocci for midfielder Juliette Perreault aft the reddish card.

Canada went up successful the 23rd infinitesimal connected an ain goal. Chukwu got her caput connected a Canadian country with Adriana Munguia's attempted headed clearance going consecutive backmost and beating Nicaragua 'keeper Greta Genie, who plays for Belmont University successful Nashville.

Canadian goalkeeper Noelle Henning wiped retired Manzaneres successful the 32nd infinitesimal going for a precocious shot successful the punishment box, prompting a lengthy treatment with the video adjunct referee. Sobers went to the pitchside monitor, to cheque for a imaginable offside earlier the collision, and past pointed to the punishment spot.

Sarantes bushed a diving Henning, who was yellow-carded connected the play, to necktie it astatine 1-1 successful the 37th minute.

But 2 goals successful first-half stoppage clip restored Canada's lead. Melenhorst's left-footed changeable from the borderline of the container bushed a diving Genie earlier Chukwu evaded 2 defenders and sent a debased changeable into the acold country of the goal.

Tarasco made it 4-1 successful the 85th minute, knocking the shot location aft a pinball-like series successful beforehand of the extremity disconnected a Canadian corner.

Despite the numerical disadvantage, Canada outshot Nicaragua 15-3 successful the archetypal half, though the Central Americans had a 3-2 borderline successful shots connected target. Canada had 70 per cent possession and had 8 corners to Nicaragua's nary successful the archetypal 45 minutes.

Canada, with a tallness advantage, threatened connected astir each acceptable portion but could not convert.

Tye made 5 changes to her starting lineup. Nicaragua started 14-year-old attacker Maxie Teofilo, who plays her nine shot with the Seattle United.

Canada booked its summons to the CONCACAF tourney by winning its qualifying radical with easiness successful February. The Canadians outscored their qualifying absorption 43-0, dispatching Dominica 22-0, Bermuda 9-0 and big Trinidad and Tobago 12-0.

The U.S. and Mexico, arsenic the top-ranked countries successful CONCACAF, skipped the qualifying circular and were fixed nonstop introduction to the CONCACAF championship. Canada and 23 different teams had to triumph their mode there, with Costa Rica, Guyana, Nicaragua, Panama and Puerto Rico besides topping their groups.

Canada won the CONCACAF tourney successful 2004 and 2008 and was runner-up to the U.S. successful 2002, erstwhile the property radical was under-19. The Americans are looking for their eighth title, having past won successful 2020 and 2022.