USA, Mexico clinch berths to Under-17 Women’s World Cup

MIAMI, Florida – The United States and Mexico have qualified for the 2024 FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup after posting victories on Friday in the semifinals of the 2024 Concacaf Women’s Under-17 Championship at the headquarters of the Mexican Football Federation in Toluca, Mexico.

United States 7-1 Haiti

The day started with defending champions the United States punching their Under-17 Women’s World Cup ticket thanks to a 7-1 victory against Haiti. With the win, the U.S. have qualified for their sixth U17 Women’s World Cup.

The U.S. got things rolling in the 24’ through Mya Townes, who received a pass from Melanie Barcenas and finished for a 1-0 lead. It was then 2-0 at halftime as Kennedy Fuller scored off a cross from Alexandra Pfeiffer in the 40’ to double the margin.

Fuller then scored her eighth goal of the tournament in the 47’ with a smooth right-footed stroke into net, extending the U.S. lead to 3-0. Pfeiffer added her name to the scoresheet in the 59’ when she hauled in a long ball from Katie Scott and scored to make it 4-0.

Haiti never stopped fighting, though, and star striker Lourdjina Etienne notched her seventh goal of the tournament with a penalty conversion in the 80’, cutting the deficit to 4-1.

However, the day belonged to the U.S., who finished in strong fashion thanks to a hat-trick in six minutes from Kimmie Ascanio.

Ascanio found the top right cornet of net for her first score in the 83’, followed two minutes later by her second in the 85’ off a cross from Scott. The trio of goals and 7-1 final scoreline was then completed in the 88’ when she pounced on a rebound off the post and calmly tucked away a Left-footed shot.

Mexico 2-1 Canada

A goal in extra time from Vanessa Aguilar earned Mexico a dramatic 2-1 win against Canada in the day’s second semifinal, earning Mexico their seventh U17 Women’s World Cup appearance.

Mexico were first to find the breakthrough, as a Right-footed strike from Carla Montes Frias off a deflection from just outside the area in the 25’ resulted in a 1-0 lead for the host nation.

Canada looked to respond by playing into dangerous striker Annabelle Chukwu, but there was no way past the Mexican defense and GK Camila Vazquez, who made back-to-back saves in the 74’ to keep her side ahead.

But there was nothing Vazquez could do just a minute later in the 75’ when Chukwu received a ball and unleashed a right-footed shot that beat Vazquez at the near post to even things at 1-1.

Matters had to be resolved in extra time and Mexico would emerge with the decisive strike in the 101’, as Aguilar followed up her initial blocked shot with a fine finish from an acute angle to deliver the 2-1 victory for El Tricolor.