MIAMI, Florida – Group B of the 2024 Concacaf Women’s Under-17 Championship began on Friday at the headquarters of the Mexican Football Federation in Toluca, Mexico, with commanding wins for the United States and Canada.
United States 13-0 Panama
The U.S. got things going in Group B with a 13-0 victory against Panama, as Kennedy Fuller scored five goals, Alex Pfeiffer had a hat trick and Mya Townes bagged a brace.
The U.S. wasted no time in getting on the scoreboard, with Townes putting away a Pfeiffer cross to hand the defending champions a 1-0 lead in the eighth minute.
Pfeiffer then got to play the role of goalscorer in the 16’ to put her side ahead 2-0 when she pounced on the rebound.
Townes got her brace in the 19’ with a swinging right-footed shot to stretch the lead to 3-0. Pfeiffer got her second in the 21’ for a 4-0 advantage.
Pfeiffer then notched her hat trick in the 35’ for a 5-0 U.S. lead when she converted from the penalty spot after Leena Powell was fouled in the area. A minute later in the 36’ it was 6-0 after Fuller steered home a Pfeiffer cross.
Fuller then made it a 7-0 scoreline at halftime when she lashed home a loose ball in the 42’ for her second goal of the day.
Clever playmaking from Melanie Barcenas set up Fuller to complete her hat trick in the 56’ for an 8-0 advantage. Fuller then scored her fourth of the day with a left-footed volley in the 65’, giving the U.S. a 9-0 lead.
A score from Rylee McLanahan in the 68’ and a Jordyn Hardeman header in the 75’ made it 11-0, before Fuller’s hard hit from the edge of the area in the 78’ and a Katharine Scott shot from distance in the 80’ completed the 13-0 scoreline.
Canada 5-0 Puerto Rico
The second game of the day in Group B saw Canada defeat Puerto Rico 5-0.
Canada started strong and grabbed a 1-0 lead in the 10’ when Kaylee Hunter found Annabelle Chukwu, who guided home a shot.
Chukwu was feeling it and fired home a strike from the left side of the area to double the margin to 2-0 in the 16’.
Liana Tarasco then turned in a shot from close-range to make it 3-0 in the 21’ before Chukwu notched her hat trick in the 24’ with a strong right-footed finish for a 4-0 lead.
Susana Roberts almost pulled one back for Puerto Rico in the 32’ but was denied by Canada GK Noelle Henning.
The Puerto Rico defense firmed things up in the second half, but Canada were still able to add on a score in the 74’ through Adriana Bianchin, who found the back of the net with a right-footed shot to complete the 5-0 scoreline.
El Salvador vs. Haiti
Group A returns to action on Saturday, with the day starting off between El Salvador and Haiti.
Haiti enjoyed a victorious debut on Thursday, winning 2-1 versus Costa Rica in which Lourdjina Etienne bagged a brace for the Caribbean side.
Meanwhile, El Salvador will be looking to bounce back from their opening 3-0 defeat to Mexico.
This will be the third all-time CWU17 meeting between the two sides, and Haiti will be on the hunt for their first victory in the series. El Salvador claimed the first two contests, 1-0 in 2013 and then 2-0 in the previous edition in 2022.
Costa Rica vs. Mexico
The day then wraps up with Costa Rica taking on Mexico in what will also be the third all-time contest between the two sides. El Tricolor emerged triumphant in the first two, winning a 3-1 semifinal thriller in 2010 thanks to two goals in extra time, before a 4-2 win in 2016.
Mexico started off on the right foot in a 3-0 victory against El Salvador on Thursday. A pair of goals from Abril Fragoso sandwiched a score from Dana Sandoval.
Costa Rica came up just short in their opener with Haiti, losing 2-1, but did get a confidence boost when Daniela Ocampo scored a rocket in the 89th minute. Las Ticas will try to continue that goalscoring momentum into Saturday’s encounter.
