The women's team loses to Canada in the U-20 World Cup final.

From the Editorial Staff

La Jornada Newspaper, Monday, June 9, 2025, p. a11

The Mexican U-20 women's national team failed to retain their title in the Concacaf World Cup Qualifying Tournament in their category after losing 3-2 to Canada in the tournament final yesterday at the Alejandro Morera Soto Stadium in Costa Rica.

Both teams had already secured their spot at the U-20 Women's World Cup in Poland 2026, but thanks to this valuable victory, the Canadians dethroned Mexico for the third time in the regional tournament's history.

In the match that went into extra time after a 2-2 draw after 90 minutes, the goals for the Mexicans, who played with one less player after the expulsion of goalkeeper Mariángela Medina in the final stretch of the second half, were scored by Montserrat Saldívar (61 and 98, the latter from a penalty), who, with this double, became the top scorer of the tournament, with eight goals. For the Canadians, Sienna Gibson (50), Adriana Bianchin (96) and Annabelle Chukwu (120 + 2) scored.

After neither team scored in the first half, despite the Tricolors creating several dangerous plays, the Canadians took the lead in the second half when a shot from Gibson was impossible for Medina to stop.

However, Mexico leveled the score in the 61st minute after a penalty was awarded for a foul by Janet Okeke on Saldívar in the box. The forward took the penalty and with a precise shot beat goalkeeper Noelle Henning to make it 1-1.

In the final stretch, the match became more complicated for the Tricolores, as their goalkeeper was sent off in the 90th minute for a foul in the box on Annabelle Chukwu. Camila Vázquez replaced her, replacing Deiry Ramírez.

In extra time, neither team scored, so the game went to overtime. In the first, the Canadians broke the tie (2-1) through Adriana Bianchin off a corner kick.

The Mexicans reacted and tied the score again (2-2) just two minutes later, when Saldívar took advantage of a pass from Alice Soto to shake the nets with a powerful left-footed shot.

The bad news for the Tricolors came at the end of the second period of extra time, when a penalty was awarded for a handball in the box. Chukwu was tasked with taking the penalty, but Vázquez excelled, saving her shot with a superb save.

Chukwu refused to give up, and in the final minutes, she scored against Mexico to seal the final 3-2 scoreline and give her team the win.