UPDATED – Canada set sights on Quarter-final at Uruguay 2018 after final group stage match
Canada Soccer – Canada set sights on Quarter-final at Uruguay 2018 after final group stage match
21 November 2018
UPDATE – Canada will face Germany, the winner of Group C, in its Quarter-final match on Sunday, 25 November 2018 at 19:00 Local time (17:00 ET/14:00 PT) at Estadio Charrúa in Montevideo. The other Quarter-final match ups are: Spain v Korea DPR, Japan v New Zealand, and Ghana v Mexico.
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Canada Soccer’s Women’s U-17 team have taken second place in Group D at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup Uruguay 2018 after falling 5:0 to Spain in their final group stage match.
Having already qualified for the Quarter-final with six points through their opening two matches, Canada rested several starters and gave important development opportunities to the extended roster against the technically skilled Spanish side that have finished in the top three at each of the last three FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cups.
“I’m frustrated by the result but I’m also very proud that we put 20 of our 21 players on the field,” said Head Coach Rhian Wilkinson. “We played against a wonderful team (Spain) who will definitely be pushing to be in the Final. It’s a painful thing to learn in a loss, but, we know we’re in the Quarter-final, we know that’s going to be a hard game, so we will take the tough lessons from today and move forward and be ready to go in the Quarter-final.”
Spain took an early 1:0 lead after a switch of play and then cross to an open Salma Paralluelo who put it away past Canada’s goalkeeper Kayza Massey. Canada had a good spell of possession in the 20’ with a Kaila Novak cross unmet at the far post after some good passing between Lara Kazadjian and Novak. Spain’s Irene Lopez scored a second goal in the 22’ and then added her second and Spain’s third goal in the 25’.
Canada mounted another spell of pressure with Sonia Walk and Kazandjian having opportunities in the Spain 18 in the 36’. Spain added a fourth in the opening minutes of the second half as a deflected shot from the top of the 18 got behind Massey (50’). Eva Navaro scored Spain’s fifth in the 70’.
“We talked about this game at length before it happened. We knew it was going to be hard, we knew it was going to be hot,” Wilkinson added. “Yes, there’s some lessons we’re going to bring forward and there’s some other stuff we’re going to leave behind because we’re already through to the Quarter-final, and no matter what happens we’re going to face a really good team in the Quarter-final, so we’re ready for that.”
Canada will now play the winner of Group C, to be decided at tonight’s (17:00 local/15:00 ET/12:00 PT) final Group C matches between USA and Germany, and Cameroon and Korea DPR.
Canada’s Quarter-final match will take place Sunday, 25 November 2018 at 19:00 Local time (17:00 ET/14:00 PT) at Estadio Charrúa in Montevideo against the winner of Group C.
Canada’s third FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup Uruguay 2018 match starting XI featured Kayza Massey in net, Léonie Portelance at left-back, Captain Ariel Young and Jade Rose at centre-back, and Bella Hanisch at right-back. Lara Kazandjian, Sonia Walk, and Jazmine Wilkinson made up the midfield. Kaila Novak, Teni Akindoju and Serita Thurton formed the frontline.
Head Coach Wilkinson replaced Kazandjian with Jessica DeFilippo (64’) and Wilkinson with Wayny Balata (81’).
At the conclusion of the third group stage match, 20 of the 21 players on Canada’s roster have seen the pitch at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup Uruguay 2018. Jordyn Huitema (2), and Jessica De Feilippo, Lara Kazandjian, and Andersen Williams have scored through the group stage. The valuable experiences these players have gained against the best international players in their age group will further reinforce the Canada Soccer Women’s EXCEL Program curriculum being taught at the Regional EXCEL (REX) Centres across Canada. Having had the opportunity to put in action the lessons learned in REX, Canada Soccer’s U-17 players have taken another big step in their development towards Canada Soccer’s Women’s National Team.
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 registered 14 goals at the competition prior to 2018, 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