The United States of America and Mexico are on their way to the 2020 FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup tournament to be held in Costa Rica and Panama.
They each recorded semifinal victories on Friday in the 2020 CONCACAF Under-20 Women’s Championship tournament matches played at the Estadio Olimpico Felix Sanchez in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
A glimpse of Guyana’s last CONCACAF Women’s U20 Championship game
The U.S. started the day’s action, and used a quick start to ride to a 6-0 triumph over hosts Dominican Republic. Brianna Pinto produced a hat trick by scoring two goals inside the first five minutes, in the 2nd and in the 4th. Trinity Rodman stretched the lead to 3-0 in the 16th minute, then Pinto notched her hat trick in the 41st, to give the U.S. a 4-0 halftime lead.
Mia Fishel then scored her 11th goal of the tournament in the 57th minute of play, before Rodman completed her brace in the 62nd minute to cap off the 6-0 tally.
In the nightcap, Mexico squeezed past Haiti 4-2 in a penalty shootout following a hard-fought 1-1 draw between the two sides.
The Caribbean nation was first to score, and it was no surprise that the goal came from 16-year-old MF Melchie Dumornay, who tallied her tournament-leading 14th goal in the 56th minute via free-kick to give Haiti a 1-0 lead.
But Mexico responded by pulling level at 1-1 in the 68th minute, when a looping shot from Joseline Montoya found the back of the net.
Things eventually had to be settled in penalty kicks, and a missed attempt from Haiti’s Dayana Pierre sealed the victory for El Tricolor.
The U.S. and Mexico will square off for 2020 CU20W honours in today’s Final, with the U.S. seeking their fifth title and Mexico their second straight one.
Guyana’s ‘Lady Jaguars’ made history by first winning their qualification group round last year, and then making it to the quarterfinal round.
Of the five games they played, the Guyanese girls won three, defeating Nicaragua and Puerto Rico in the group stage, and then Cayman Islands in the Round of 16.
Their losses came to defending champions and finalists Mexico in the Group Stage, and to Haiti in the quarterfinal round.
Despite bowing out of the competition, Head Coach Ivan Joseph has expressed pride at the team’s performance.
