MIAMI – Women’s football is writing its own history and two teams from Concacaf are ready to be a part of it this week in the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup Inter-Confederation Playoffs in New Zealand.
Haiti and Panama will show up in what will be their biggest challenge yet: to fight to get one of the last tickets to next July’s tournament in Australia/New Zealand.
Both teams proved themselves in the recent Concacaf W Championship that took place in Monterrey, Mexico in July 2022, a tournament in which they each earned the right to be within the last 10 teams that will look to be part of the biggest tournament in women’s football.
Both teams had different paths to reach that third-place spot in their respective groups at the CWC. Haiti was part of Group A, facing the current World Champions the United States, Jamaica and hosts Mexico, emerging with a win over Mexico and defeats against the U.S. and Jamaica.
Their squad was one to watch for, since they have some rising stars that are now settling into football’s elite. Names like Melchie Dumornay and Nerilia Mondesir are now growing stronger in their respective clubs in Europe and everyone is waiting to see how they will help their National team reach that next level.
Les membres de la délégation de l’équipe féminine d’Haiti se réuniront au complet à Auckland en N. Zélande le 13 Février, soit, à 5 jours exactement du match contre le Sénégal en 1/2 finales du groupe B des barrages qualificatifs au mondial 2023 de la FIFA . pic.twitter.com/w3xOFPNTdP
— Fédération Haïtienne de Football (@fhfhaiti) February 10, 2023
Panama's historic qualification came also with work and perseverance, as they were part of Group B in which they faced reigning Olympic champions Canada, as well as Costa Rica and Trinidad and Tobago, finishing with a win over Trinidad and Tobago and losses with Canada and Costa Rica.
MF Marta Cox and GK Yenith Bailey led their team to get the job done, qualifying third in their group, earning that last playoff ticket that the CWC had to offer and embarking on what will be one of the biggest matches in Panamanian women’s football history.
Haiti was drawn into Group B with Chile and Senegal, the first game for Haiti being against the African side to decide which one goes to the next round to face Chile with a World Cup ticket at stake.
Panama was drawn into the exceptional Group C, as it is the only one with four teams: Chinese Taipei, Papua New Guinea, Panama and Paraguay. Las Canaleras play their first match against Papua New Guinea on Sunday, and with a win would face either Chinese Taipei or Paraguay for the right to go to the World Cup.
With history knocking on their door, the two Concacaf teams fly to New Zealand to take the pitch and fight until the final whistle, looking to qualify to their first ever Women’s World Cup.
