BRADENTON, Florida – Canada, United States, Haiti and Mexico have punched their tickets to the 2019 FIFA Under-17 World Cup by advancing to the semifinals of the 2019 Concacaf Under-17 Championship.
Costa Rica vs. Canada
A dramatic penalty shootout ended with Canada edging Costa Rica 4-3 to reach the CU17 semifinals and book its place in the 2019 FIFA Under-17 World Cup.
It was a tight, intense affair from the two sides, with Canada taking a 1-0 lead right before halftime when Jayden Nelson converted a penalty kick in the 45+3’.
But the Ticos had plenty of fight in them and just minutes into the second stanza, Geancarlo Castro scored a spot kick of his own in the 49’ to make it a 1-1 affair. For Castro, it was his tournament-leading seventh goal.
Matters had to be settled in a penalty shootout and in the end, Canada captain Gianfranco Facchineri scored the winning penalty to earn Canada its first Under-17 World Cup berth since 2013.
United States vs. Panama
A strong second half performance powered the United States to a 3-0 win over Panama in their CU17 quarterfinal.
After a scoreless first half, the U.S. would break things open in the second half thanks to goals from Gianluca Busio (54’), Giovanni Reyna (60’) and Ricardo Pepi (75’) to reach yet another Under-17 World Cup.
Haiti vs. Honduras
Haiti overcame a tough Honduras side 4-3 in a penalty shootout to reach the CU17 semifinals and the Under-17 World Cup.
A scoreless first half gave way to an entertaining second half in which Haiti’s Carl Fred Sainte broke the deadlock in the 65’. But 10 minutes later it was Honduras celebrating as Hector Medrano pulled the Catrachos level in the 75’.
The 1-1 draw forced a penalty shootout and Samuel Jeanty converted the winning spot kick for the Haitians.
Mexico vs. El Salvador
Mexico enjoyed a commanding performance in a 5-1 victory over El Salvador to advance to the CU17 semifinals and clinch a spot in the Under-17 World Cup.
Israel Luna (9’) and Bryan Gonzalez (22’) gave El Tricolor an early lead, which was then aided by a Rodrigo Rodriguez own goal in the 41’. Luna tallied his second in the 48’, but the Cuscatlecos would pull one back in the 58’ through Emerson Mauricio.
In the end though, the day belonged to Mexico, as Bruce El Mesmari capped El Tricolor’s great day with a score in the 79.
