The United States U-20 women are champions of CONCACAF for the fourth straight time after defeating Canada, 1-0 on Sunday in the World Cup qualifying championship in San Pedro Sula, Honduras. Ashley Sanchez scored the game’s only goal in the 72nd minute.
Canada had not given up a goal in the tournament until Sanchez’s strike, which came from a misplayed ball by Canada goalkeeper Lysianne Proulx:
Goal USA – No.13 Ashley SANCHEZ – CAN 0-1 USA #CU20W @CanadaSoccerEN @ussoccer_wnt https://t.co/TyoMHy3egA
— CONCACAF (@CONCACAF) December 14, 2015
Canada and the U.S. had already both qualified for the 2016 U-20 Women’s World Cup next year in Papa New Guinea. Mexico defeated Honduras earlier on Sunday in CONCACAF’s third-place match to complete the 16-team field for the World Cup.
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The CONCACAF triumph is the United States’ fifth overall at the U-20 level. Mallory Pugh took home the Golden Boot and the Golden Ball.
The U.S. and Canadian women are not only frequent opponents at the senior level, but at the youth level as well:
6th @CONCACAF w'youth title bout between Canada and USA.
Canada won w19/20s in 2004 & 2008; USA won w20s in 2006/2012 & w17s in 2012.— Canada Soccer (@CanadaSoccerEN) December 13, 2015
The 16 teams participating in the 2016 U-20 Women’s World Cup are: Ghana, Nigeria, Brazil, Venezuela, France, Germany, Sweden, Spain, Korea Republic, Japan, Korea DPR, USA, Canada, Mexico, New Zealand and hosts Papua New Guinea
