'Caps lead Canada U-20's to World Cup

Whitecaps women's team head coach Bob Birarda helped Canada U-20's to a fourth-straight World Cup finals appearance on Wednesday.

June 25, 2008

CSA & Whitecaps FC

Canada’s U-20 women’s team claimed a berth in the 2008 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup after a 2-1 victory over Mexico on Wednesday.

Goals by the Vancouver Whitecaps duo of Jodi-Ann Robinson and Jonelle Filigno booked Bob Birarda's side their ticket to Chile 2008, as well as a place in Saturday's final of the CONCACAF U-20 Women's Championship against the United States. It is the fourth straight time that Canada has qualified for a U-20 Women’s World Cup finals.

Filigno scored Wednesday's winning goal midway through the second half, breaking a 1-1 deadlock that lasted just six minutes at the Estadio Cuauhtémoc in Puebla, Mexico. The victory comes after the young Canadians went undefeated in Group B following wins over Nicaragua, Jamaica, and Costa Rica.

The Whitecaps make up all but one of the 20 players in Canada's U-20 women's squad, with head coach Birarda also in charge the Whitecaps USL W-League side, while Raegyn Hall has doubled as goalkeeping coach for both Vancouver and Canada U-20's this year. Four Whitecaps players in Filigno, Robinson, Lexi Marton, and Sophie Schmidt were also part of the Canadian senior women's side that earned its place in the Women’s Olympic Football Tournament earlier this year.

In Wednesday's other semifinal, USA defeated Costa Rica 4-0 to also book its place in Chile 2008, with Mexico and Costa Rica to contest the remaining CONCACAF qualifying place in the third-place match on Saturday.

The 2008 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup takes place from November 19 to December 7 in Chile.

CANADA U-20
1.Erin McNulty, 4.Lexi Marton (C), 5.Myriam Bouchard, 7.Jodi-Ann Robinson (9.Julie Armstrong 89'), 8.Kaylyn Kyle, 11.Allysha Chapman, 12.Jonelle Filigno, 14.Monica Lam-Feist (2.Paige Adams 80'), 15.Rheanne Sleiman, 16.Sophie Schmidt, 17.Chelsea Stewart

MEXICO U-20
1.Erika Venegas, 2.Wendoline Ortiz, 5.Alba Janet Mendez, 7.Yalu Shantal Mondragon (C), 9.Veronica Charlyn Corral, 11.Sandra Stephany Mayor, 13.Susana Berenice Mendoza, 14.Edna Valera Hernandez, 18.Claudia Erika Garcia, 21.Inglis Yoana Hernandez (6.Maria Areli Martínez 73'), 23.Liliana Mercado

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