Also in today’s Roundup, Concacaf abandons U-17 women’s championship
Chile beat Argentina to qualify for first-ever FIFA Women’s World Cup https://t.co/3vlakRnEpx pic.twitter.com/rRSRHUynVP
— Infifanews (@infifanews) April 23, 2018
Chile defeated Argentina 4-0 on Sunday to secure the runner-up spot in the 2018 Copa America Femenina as well as a spot in next year’s World Cup in France. The win, in front of an energetic home crowd, put Chile into the Women’s World Cup for the first time. Argentina finished third and will play and fourth-placed Concacaf team in a two-leg playoff later this year for a spot in the World Cup.
Also on Sunday, Brazil beat Colombia 3-0 to win the tournament and eliminate Colombia from the World Cup and the 2020 Olympics. Brazil are qualified to both while Chile will play an African nation next year for an Olympic bid. Argentina are out of the Olympics. Brazil has won seven of the eight Copa America Femenina tournaments, the exception being 2006 when they finished second to Argentina.
Needing a win to assure qualification, Chile went ahead early through Camila Saez and were up 2-0 after 24 minutes thanks to Maryorie Hernandez. An own goal charged to Agustina Hernandez made it 3-0 at halftime. Francisca Lara put a bow on things and helped kick off the celebration with a stoppage time goal.
The following teams are now qualified for the 2019 World Cup:
Europe: France (host)
Asia: Australia, China, Japan, South Korea, Thailand
South America: Brazil, Chile
U.S. players safe after Concacaf Championship abandoned
U.S. Soccer said late Sunday that all players and staff were safe and returning home after the Concacaf U-17 Women’s Championship was abandoned due to civil unrest in host country Nicaragua.
- U.S. Soccer officials have notified all the families of our players that our team and staff in Nicaragua are safe and secure. We have made arrangements for the return to the United States of our team delegation and have also provided services and accommodations for all of the families that traveled to Nicaragua to assist them in returning home as well. Safety and security is our only priority as we continue to work with Concacaf on all matters related to the cancellation of the Women’s U-17 Championship.
Violent protests erupted in Nicagua in recent days in response to the government announcing an overhaul of the Central American country’s social security and welfare systems. The violence continues even after the announcement that the changes would be rolled back. It was not just the soccer players who left Nicaragua where the tournament was being held in the capital city of Managua. The U.S. State department on Monday ordered relatives of embassy employees out of the country and curtailed services at the Embassy.
The first three finishers at the tournament were to receive bids to the U-17 World Cup this fall in Uruguay. Concacaf has not yet decided how those qualifiers will be determined.
