This article was last updated on April 16, 2022
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U.S. Women edge Canada to lift U-17 crown
The United States won its second CONCACAF Under-17 Women’s Championship crown Saturday, riding Amber Munerlyn’s 21st minute goal past Canada 1-0 and avenging its semifinal upset of two years ago.
The Americans outscored their opponents 26-0 in five games over 10 days and earned some measure of revenge against Canada, which held the United States to 0-0 draw in the knockout round in 2010 and then prevailed on penalties to make it the only U.S. women’s team to fail to qualify for a World Cup.
Both teams already had assured themselves of a berth in this year’s U-17 Women’s World Cup with semifinal victories on Thursday. The U.S. routed Panama 7-0 on goals from Toni Payne (9′), Summer Green (44′, 45′, 53′), Morgan Andrews (50′), Darian Jenkins (66′) and Emily Bruder (77′). Canada defeated Mexico 1-0 on a goal by Valerie Sanders (13′).
Green finished as the tournament’s top scorer with 12 goals, breaking the previous CONCACAF U-17 Women’s Championship record of nine set by the USA’s Lindsey Horan in 2010.
Mexico grabbed the final CONCACAF berth to the World Cup on Saturday with a 6-0 victory over Panama in the third place match. Luz Duarte (50′, 54′, 72′, 84′) scored four goals, while Jessica Morales (13′) and Hallie Hernandez (65′) added one each.
All three CONCACAF qualifiers will participate in the 2012 FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup in Azerbaijan from September 22 to October 13.
Clubs look to qualify for the 2012/13 Champions League
Mexico
Two-time CCL champion Monterrey will face Santos Laguna in the Mexican Torneo Apertura final. The repeat of the 2011-12 CCL final will kick-off on Thursday in Monterrey before wrapping up on Sunday night in Torreon. Monterrey reached the final with a 2-0 home win over America on Saturday after a scoreless tie in the series’ first leg on Wednesday. Santos eliminated defending champion Tigres with two last minute goals from Oribe Peralta on Sunday to grab a 2-2 tie. The aggregate score finished 3-3 and the Guerreros advanced thanks to its better position in the regular-season standings.
Santos, as runner-up of the Torneo Apertura, had previously qualified for the 2012-13 Champions League. Monterrey also booked its ticket as a Torneo Clausura finalist. If Santos wins the current tournament, Chivas will grab Mexico’s last CCL spot due to having the best regular-season record in the 2011 Apertura season. If Monterrey wins, America would qualify due to having the best record in Torneo Clausura season after Santos and Monterrey.
Costa Rica
Herediano posted a key 4-2 win over Santos in the first leg of the Costa Rican Torneo de Invierno final on Saturday. The series will conclude next Saturday at the Estadio Ebal Rodriguez, home of Santos. If Herediano wins, it would be the club’s first title since 1993. The winner will join 2011 Torneo de Verano champion Alajuelense in the 2012-13 Champions League.
Honduras
Marathon and Olimpia tied 0-0 in the first leg of the Torneo Clausura final in Honduras on Saturday. Olimpia, which previously qualified for the 2012-13 Champions League by winning the 2011 Torneo Apertura, will host the second leg next Saturday. Even with a loss, Marathon will qualify to the next season’s CONCACAF tournament as the team with the next highest number of points over the two regular seasons following Olimpia.
Guatemala
Municipal and Xelajú will face off in the Torneo Clausura final in Guatemala beginning Wednesday and concluding on Sunday. Municipal defeated archrival Comunicaciones 2-1 on Sunday after a 0-0 tie in the semifinals, first leg on Thursday. Xelaju grabbed a 2-1 aggregate semifinal victory the same night over Marquense with a 1-1 tie. Municipal has already qualified for the 2012-13 Champions League by winning last season’s title. Xelaju will also qualify if it wins the Clausura title. However, if it loses, Comunicaciones will gain Guatemala’s last spot as the club with the highest total of points over the two regular seasons.
Panama
The Torneo Clausura final in Panama will be decided next Friday between Tauro and Chepo at the Estadio Rommel Fernandez in Panama City. Chepo reached its first final with a 0-0 tie on Saturday after a 1-0 win in the semifinals, first leg. Tauro knocked off regular season leaders Sporting SM with a 2-0 aggregate semifinal victory (1-0, 1-0) . The winner of the Friday’s final will join Torneo Apertura winner Chorrillo in the 2012-13 Champions League.
Nicaragua
Real Esteli defeated Diriangen 3-0 in the first leg of the Nicaraguan Torneo Clausura final on Sunday. The teams will meet again next Sunday. Esteli, winner of the Torneo Apertura last year in Nicaragua, has already guaranteed itself a berth in the upcoming Champions League as the club with the highest total of points over the two regular seasons.
Canada
Three-time defending champion Toronto FC will meet the Vancouver Whitecaps in the final of the Amway Canadian Championship. After a 0-0 draw in the first leg, Toronto earned a 2-0 win over the Montreal Impact on Wednesday to take their series. Vancouver defeated Edmonton FC 3-1 at home to complete a 5-1 aggregate win.
Vancouver will host the first leg of the finals on May 16, while Toronto will host the second leg a week later.
CFU
Matthew Aldred and Peter Byers scored first-half goals to rally Antigua Barracuda FC from an early own-goal to a 2-1 victory over W Connection of Trinidad on Thursday and claim the second-round Group 5 title in the Caribbean Club Champions Cup.
Barracuda FC finished the group with seven points, one ahead of W Connection. Both clubs advanced to the final four-team round, which will determine the region’s three qualifiers for next season’s CONCACAF Champions League.
In the first game of Thursday’s doubleheader, a four-goal performance from Richard Charles lifted Victory SC to an 8-2 win Inter Moengotapoe of Surinam 8-2 to finish third with four points. The Haitian side finished third with four points.
Barracuda FC and W Connection will face two teams from Group 4, which is set to be played May 21-25 in George Town, Cayman Islands. The defending champion Puerto Rico Islanders and fellow professional side Caledonia AIA of Trinidad will face local club and host George Town FC and Baltimore SC of Haiti.
Central American U-17 and U-20 qualifying dates announced
Central American qualifying for the CONCACAF Under-20 Championship will be staged in July, while U-17 qualifying is set for December in Guatemala.
Honduras will host Group 1 of U-20 qualifying (July 17-21) and will be joined by Costa Rica and Nicaragua. Guatemala will host Group 2 (July 25-29) and face Panama and El Salvador.
The top two squads from each group will qualify for the 12-team CONCACAF Under-20 Championship finals in Mexico (February 18-March 2, 2013).
The U-17 qualifying competition will be conducted December 3-16 in a single group, involving host Guatemala, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua. Three teams will advance to the CONCACAF finals (April 6-19, 2013) in Panama, which as host receives an automatic berth.
Complete schedules and stadia to be used are expected to be announced within the week.
Costa Rica falls to Brazil in futsal friendly
Costa Rica lost a 5-0 decision to host Brazil in the first of two futsal friendlies against the four-time FIFA Futsal World Champions at the Ginásio Geraldão in Recife on May 12.
Dieguinho, Falcao, Gadeia, Thiaguinho and Pixote all scored for the Samba Kings, who will face the Ticos again in Maceió on Tuesday.
The victory extended Brazil’s unbeaten streak to 39 matches. Costa Rica is preparing for the CONCACAF Futsal Championship this July in Guatemala
Guatemala and Mexico to face off twice
Guatemala and Mexico will face each other in two beach soccer friendlies on May 25 and 26.
The matches will take place in Sipacate, Guatemala and will serve as a tune-up for both sides prior to the 2012 CONCACAF Beach Soccer Championship (dates and location TBD).
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