Canada in strong position to reach Quarter-finals with 2:0 win over Korea Republic
Canada Soccer – Canada in strong position to reach Quarter-finals at Uruguay 2018 with 2:0 win over Korea Republic
17 November 2018
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Canada Soccer’s Women’s U-17 team remain undefeated after two matches at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup Uruguay 2018. Canada defeated Korea Republic 2:0 in their second group stage match at Estadio Charrúa in Montevideo to move into first place in Group D with Spain and Colombia playing later today.
“We played a very strong South Korean team and I think we saw that in the first 45 minutes. They definitely were pinning us back in our half in the first half,” said Head Coach Rhian Wilkinson. “This is a team I’m so proud to be the coach of, obviously there was a red card but they also turned the game around and showed who they really were; resilient. Fantastic team performance today.”
Jordyn Huitema’s 59’ minute goal put Canada ahead 1:0. After a corner, Huitema’s volley of the deflected ball arced over the head of Korean GK Jiyeon Kang. However, Huitema saw a red card less than 10 minutes later after a mid-air challenge and Canada were down to 10 players. Canada stepped up and controlled much of the play despite being down a player.
Lara Kazandjian got Canada’s insurance goal in the 74’ when her 20 yard blast after some high Canadian pressure won the ball also went over the head of Kang.
“It’s always an honour to represent Canada,” said Kazandjian, who was named player of the match. “I wouldn’t have been able to accomplish what I did today without the team’s belief and they were really strong physically and emotionally.”
Sitting atop Group D after today’s win, Canada is in a strong position to advance out of the group stage and into the Quarter-finals set for November 24th or 25th.
Canada’s third and final group stage match is against Spain on TSN5 and RDS2 Wednesday, 21 November at 14:00 local (12:00 ET/09:00 PT) at Estadio Charrúa in Montevideo.
Canada’s second FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup Uruguay 2018 match starting XI featured Anna Karpenko in net, Léonie Portelance at left-back, Maya Antoine and Jade Rose at centre-back, and Jayde Riviere at right-back. Lara Kazandjian, Sonia Walk, and Caitlin Shaw made up the midfield. Kaila Novak, Captain Jordyn Huitema and Serita Thurton formed the frontline.
In the second half Wilkinson replaced Walk with Wayny Balata and Thurton for Andersen Williams (46’), and Kazandjian with Jessica De Filippo (83’).
FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup Uruguay 2018
- The official slogan for the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup is Same Game Same Emotion. (A slogan to unite the generations).
- The tournament’s four groups are Group A: Uruguay, Ghana, New Zealand, Finland; Group B: Mexico, South Africa, Brazil, Japan; Group C: USA, Cameroon, Korea DPR, Germany; and, Group D: Korea Republic, Spain, Canada, Colombia.
- A total of 32 matches, across four groups containing 16 teams, will be played to decide the winner of the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup Uruguay 2018.
- Korea DPR are the reigning champions of the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup and the tournament’s most successful competitor with two titles (2008, 2016). Japan (2014), South Korea (2010), and France (2012) have also raised the coveted youth trophy as the world’s top U-17 women’s team. Korea DPR was also the runner-up in 2012 and Japan was the runner-up in both 2010 and 2016.
- Spain, whom Canada will play in its final group stage match, were runners-up in 2014 and third place winners in 2010 and 2016.
- A total of 32 nations have competed in the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup since it started in 2008.
Background – Canada Soccer Women’s U-17 National Team
- Canada Soccer’s Roster for the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup Uruguay 2018: https://www.canadasoccer.com/canada-soccer-selects-21-young-players-for-fifa-u-17-women-s-world-cup-uruguay-2018-p161906
- The FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup Uruguay 2018 is Canada’s sixth appearance in the penultimate competition for players born before 2004. Canada’s has placed in the top ten participating nations in each edition of the tournament reaching its highest position of seventh in New Zealand 2008 and Azerbaijan 2012. Canada placed tenth at Trinidad and Tobago 2010, eighth at Costa Rica 2014, and ninth in Jordan 2016, with a historical total of six wins, six draws and six losses.
- Canadians have registered 14 goals at the competition, with Marie Levasseur topping the goal-scoring list with four in 2014.
- Canada qualified for the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup Uruguay 2018 by capturing third place at the Concacaf U-17 Women’s Championship earlier this year.
- Canada has twice before placed third in the Concacaf qualifier for the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, in Trinidad and Tobago 2008 and Grenada 2016. Canada won the qualifier in Costa Rica 2010 and placed second in both Jamaica 2013 and Grenada 2016. In total, Canada has 17 wins, two draws and six losses in qualification campaigns for the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cups.
Following Canada’s successful hosting of the inaugural FIFA women’s youth tournament, the FIFA U-19 Women’s World Championship in 2002, FIFA began making plans to hold both the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup and FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup to match the youth competition format for men. Notably, Canada Soccer Women’s National Team Captain Christine Sinclair won the golden boot for most goals at the 2002 tournament as Canada placed runners-up to the USA and launching a rivalry that thrives today.
About Canada Soccer’s Women’s National EXCEL Program
Canada Soccer Women’s National EXCEL Program brings together the best with the best at the national youth level, throughout the year. Operating across the U-14 to U-20 age groups, the program is designed to deliver an aligned talent structure and system that progresses more top players to Canada’s Women’s National Team. Major competitions are viewed as staging posts to assess development and allow for the development of the Women’s EXCEL Team Playing Model and tournament processes and expertise which will ultimately prepare players to progress up the system.
Additionally, the most talented U-14 to U-18 players are offered a specialised daily training environment through the Regional EXCEL Program, which deliver Canada Soccer’s national curriculum year-round through a two-tiered talent system, with three Super Centres streamlining Canada’s National EXCEL Players into training environments in British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec from smaller provincial licenced Centres.
Canada Soccer’s Women’s National Team
Canada is two-time Olympic bronze medal winners (2012 and 2016) and two-time CONCACAF champions (1998 and 2010). In all, Canada has participated in six consecutive editions of the FIFA Women’s World Cup (1995 to 2015) and three successive editions of the Women’s Olympic Football Tournament (2008 to 2016). At Rio 2016, Canada Soccer’s Women’s National Team were the first Canadian Olympic team to win back-to-back medals at a summer Olympic Games in more than a century and the only FIFA Member Association to repeat on the podium.
Canada will compete for an eighth FIFA Women’s World Cup in France next year. The draw to determine the group stage opponents takes place 8 December in Paris, France.
About Canada Soccer
Canada Soccer, in partnership with its membership and its partners, provides leadership in the pursuit of excellence in soccer, both at the national and international levels. Canada Soccer not only strives to lead Canada to victory, but also encourages Canadians to a life-long passion for soccer. For more details on Canada Soccer, visit the official website at www.canadasoccer.com
MEDIA CONTACT / CONTACT MÉDIAS
Brad Fougere
Corporate Communications | Gestionnaire, Communications corporatives
bfougere@canadasoccer.com
m. +1 613.299.1587
Richard Scott
Men’s National Teams Program | Programme de l’équipe nationale masculine
rscott@canadasoccer.com
m. +1 613.818.0305
Carrie Croft
Women’s National Teams Program | Programme de l’équipe nationale féminine
ccroft@canadasoccer.com
m. +1 613.406.4986