Canada opens championship with 4:1 victory
Canada’s women’s U-17 team won 4:1 over Jamaica in the opening match of the 2010 CONCACAF Women’s Under-17 Championship. Forward Nour Ghoneim scored a pair of goals – one on either side of the break – while Kylie Davis opened the scoring and Sabrina Hémond closed it out. Jamaica’s Shenika Williams countered for the opponent.
“Jamaica came out stronger than they did when we played them eight days ago,” said national head coach Bryan Rosenfeld. “They were stronger and put pressure on us. Eventually, we were able to break them down.”
Canada’s previous 4:1 victory over Jamaica was on 3 March at the Women’s Under-17 Four Nation Tournament in San Fernando, Trinidad and Tobago.
For the opener of the CONCACAF Women’s Under-17 Championship, Rosenfeld’s starting XI featured Sabrina D’Angelo in goal, Katherine Caverly at left back, Alison Clarke and Nicole Setterlund at centre back, Ally Courtnall at right back, Kylie Davis, Diamond Simpson and Chantale Campbell at midfield, and Caroline Beauline, Nour Ghoneim and Haisha Cantave up front.
Canada attacked from the opening whistle, winning back-to-back corner kicks in the first few minutes. While Canada did not score on those first two opportunities, it did score on its third try. Following a great run down the wing by right back Courtnall , Canada won its third corner kick in the seventh minute. Campbell took the kick and Davis knocked it in for a 1-0 Canadian lead.
As the first half continued, Canada maintained plenty of possession. It had its fair share of chances, too. In the 10th minute, Beaulne broke in, but put her shot just wide. Then in the 15th minute, it was Simpson with a run, but she was stopped by the goalkeeper Shantel Graham.
In the 19th minute, Campbell struck a powerful shot from 25 yards out that hit the crossbar.
In the 32nd minute, Courtnall had another good run, but this time cut in and came down the centre. She nearly beat the goalkeeper Graham, but was tackled just in time.
In the 38th minute, Jamaica won what could have been a dangerous free kick, but the kick from 25 yards out was struck wide.
As the first half neared the end, Canada again forced Jamaica back on its heels. In the 42nd minute, Simpson and Davis combined well, but the return couldn’t meet an on-rushing Cantave. Just two minutes later, Davis in the penalty area played it perfectly over to Ghoneim who made no mistake for a 2-0 Canadian lead.
In the second half, it was more of the same as Canada continued its attack on Jamaica . Davis had the first good shot from close range in the 47th minute, but it was stopped by Graham. In the 54th minute, Beaulne got past the defence, but slipped before she could fire a shot. Then in the 58th minute, captain Setterlund fired a powerful shot that just went over the crossbar.
In the 63rd minute, Ghoneim made it 3-0 after taking a long pass from Caverly. Ghoneim made a touch to get around the goalkeeper and then fired it into the goal.
Up 3-0, Canada made its first of two substitutions, replacing Cantave for midfielder Sabrina Hémond. Canada’s second substitution was made shortly after it conceded the Jamaica goal, replacing Beaulne with Zakiya McIntosh.
Jamaica’s lone goal was scored in the 76th minute. A Jamaica long ball was played over the Canadian defence and won by Williams against an on-rushing D’Angelo. Williams stepped past a fallen D’Angelo and slid the ball into an empty net.
As for Canada’s fourth goal, it was scored in the 87th minute by Hémond.
“We stuck to the game plan and we played a great game,” said Canada’s first goal scorer Davis.
Canada now has two days of rest before it takes on Panama on Saturday 13 March. Canada’s third match of the group stage will be Monday 15 March.
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