Canada take second place at the Concacaf Girls’ Under-15 Championship

Canada won silver at the 2022 Concacaf Girls’ Under-15 Championship after they were defeated 4-1 by rivals USA in the Final. It marked the third time in four editions that Canada finished either first or second in this age group, with a previous gold over Haiti in 2014 and a silver against USA in 2016. In the 2022 edition, both sides played five matches in seven days including head-to-head matches in the group phase and Championship Final.

MATCH CENTRE : https://canadasoccer.com/national-team-match-past/?matchId=3267

The Sunday Final featured a close 2-1 score until the final few minutes. USA took a 2-0 lead inside 11 minutes after an Alex Pfeiffer opener and a Kennedy Fuller penalty, but then Canada split that lead after substitute Isabelle Chukwu scored in the 26th minute. From there, Canada goalkeeper Noelle Henning made a few big saves on either side of the break before American Abby Ballek made it 3-1 in the 67th minute and Ashlyn Puerta redirected the final goal two minutes into added time. Henning earned Canada’s Performance of the Match.

This marked the first international youth tournament for 17 of Canada’s 18 players, with only Henning previously counting appearances at the Concacaf Women’s Under-17 Championship earlier this year. Across five matches, Canada posted two wins and a draw with 10 goals scored. Canada reached the Final after winning 6-5 on kicks against Mexico in Friday’s Semi-Final.

“This was a great experience for our young players to compete in five youth international matches at a Concacaf tournament,” said Bev Priestman, Canada Soccer’s Women’s National Team Head Coach and Program Director. “These players will be able to take these international experiences and build on them as they enter our National Development Centres across Canada.

“It’s also great to see some of our experienced Women’s National Team staff, particularly coach Jasmine Mander who herself was a former youth player, deliver such a positive and educational first experience as a foundation on which the players can build.”

CAN 1:4 USA
USA 7′ Alex Pfeiffer (left / gauche) 0-1 (a. Helfrich)
USA 11′ Kennedy Fuller (PK right foot / pied droit) 0-2
CAN 26′ Isabelle Chukwu (right / droit) 1-2 (a. Istocki)
USA 67′ Abby Ballek (right / droit) 1-3 (a. Puerta)
USA 70’+2 Ashlyn Puerta 1-4 (a. Ballek)

CANADA – 1 GK Noelle Henning capt.; 11 Sandrine Brault, 4 Emily Wong, 5 Yasmine Décombe, 2 Sadie Brisbin (3 Mya Angus 43’), 6 Juliette Perreault (15 Marée Anne von Doesburg 43’), 13 Bianca Hanisch, 16 Liana Tarasco (8 Taegan Stewart 59’) 9 Annabelle Chukwu, 14 Keira Martin (12 Isabelle Chukwu 25’), 7 Nikolina Istocki (17 Keelyn Stewart 59’). Coach / entraîneure Jasmine Mander. Unused substitutes / substituts non utilisés : 18 GK Sierra Gallant, 10 Shaden Al-Asad.

USA – 1 GK Molly Vapensky; 13 Mya Brandon, 6 Daya King, 8 Jordyn Hardeman, 14 Kai Price, 7 Kimmi Ascanio (17 Ashlyn Puerta 48′), 10 Kennedy Fuller capt., 18 Ainsley McCammon, 9 Alex Pfeiffer (11 Katie Scott HT), 15 Caroline Helfrich (3 Ava Harrison 61′), 16 Ayva Jordan (4 Abby Ballek HT).  Coach Katie Schoepfer.  Unused substitutes / substituts non utilisés : 12 GK Kennedy Zorn, 2 Maddie Costello, 5 Alexis Coughlin.

Canada Performance of the Match / Performance du match:
Noelle Henning : http://canadasoccer.com/profile/?id=55757