Whitecaps FC & CONCACAF.com
Kinley McNicoll scored an early goal and Canada survived playing with 10 players for the final 33 minutes, as they defeated Mexico 1-0 to win the 2010 CONCACAF U-17 Women's Championship in Alajuela, Costa Rica, on Saturday.
McNicoll ran onto a through ball from Nour Ghoneim in the eighth minute and flicked it past Mexican goalkeeper Cecilia Santiago, who had raced off her goal line to the top of the penalty area, watching it as it bounced off the far post and eventually rolled over the line.
The goal ended Canada's 271-minute goalless streak and gave the country its first CONCACAF title since the 2008 U-20 Women's Championship.
Canada, which along with Mexico and hosts Trinidad & Tobago will represent CONCACAF at the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup in September, scored only three goals in its last four games and one goal in its final 353 minutes.
"It's a great feeling," said Canadian head coach Bryan Rosenfeld. "Nothing better than winning championships. We're ecstatic, happy, and looking forward to the World Cup."
Rosenfeld's starting XI for Saturday's final included team captain and Vancouver Whitecaps FC U-18 Girls Prospects midfielder Nicole Setterlund, while on 69 minutes, Whitecaps Prospects striker Abigail Raymer replaced Ghoneim in the Canadian attack.
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Canada had the better of play and chances throughout, even after Yazmin Ongtengco-Hintzen - who already had been issued a yellow card - was ejected in the 57th minute for a hard sliding tackle on Mexico's Lucera Lara.
The result avenged Mexico's 1-0 victory over Canada in the Group A finale on Monday and was El Tri's only loss in their five tournament games.
Canada twice hit the post in the first half and nearly forced an own-goal.
Chantale Campbell ran from the right side onto a loose ball and struck a right-footed shot from the edge of the area that deflected off the top-side of the crossbar in the 34th minute. Eleven minutes later, Haisha Cantave made space for herself before twisting and hitting a left-footed effort past the outstretched arm of Santiago, but only to clip the far post.
Cantave also sent a cross into the penalty area in the 34th minute that Alexandra Duran tried to clear, but her twisting effort with her back to the goal looped upward and just landed on the top-side of the Mexico goal.
Mexico's best chances came late. In the 86th minute, Claudio Ibarra ran onto a flicked pass from Christina Murillo, took one touch and closed to 12 meters before shooting just wide of the near post.
A minute later, Murillo's free kick from near the right touchline, and 45 meters out, bounced off the top of the Canadian crossbar.
Earlier on Saturday, the United States defeated tournament hosts Costa Rica 6-0 to finish in third place.
