Canada has qualified for the 2016 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup.
Undefeated after four matches at the 2015 CONCACAF Women's Under-20 Championship, Canada booked their ticket to Papua New Guinea on Friday after a 5-4 win on penalty kicks against Mexico.
The CONCACAF rivals played to a 0-0 draw after 120 minutes. Rylee Foster, a member of the Whitecaps FC London Academy Centre, kept a clean sheet and made a save in the penalty shootout to help lead Canada to victory.
Foster’s PK save, along with successive goals by Bianca St-Georges, Vital Kats, Taylor Pryce, Mika Richards, and Victoria Pickett, was the difference against Mexico.
"It's such a surreal feeling, I am ecstatic," said Pickett, who fired the winning kick. "I was very nervous, but my teammates were helping me."
Through four matches, Canada has yet to concede a goal.
"I've never experienced such a tight-knit backline‎," said Foster. "We have a great relationship, so without them we wouldn't be goalless."
This marks the seventh time Canada has qualified for the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup. With their ticket booked, Canada will now play for a CONCACAF trophy on Sunday in the tournament final against the three-time defending champion U.S., who defeated Honduras 7-0 in the other semifinal.
"By getting to the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup and getting to the CONCACAF Final, it shows that the program – the National Excel, the Regional Excel, our national U-17 team, our national U-20 team – it is working," said U-20 coach Daniel Worthington. "This is a step in the right direction, a step in the right direction for our Canadian Women's National Team."
The FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup Papua New Guinea 2016 runs next year from November 13 to December 3. ‎Already qualified are Canada, USA, Papua New Guinea, New Zealand, Japan, Korea DPR, Korea Republic, Ghana, Nigeria, Brazil, Venezuela, France, Germany, Spain, and Sweden. The 16th – and last – nation to qualify will be either Honduras or Mexico.
