Canada fell to their rivals USA in the 2016 CONCACAF Women's Under-17 Championship, losing 0:5 on Friday 11 March at the Grenada Athletic Stadium in St. George's, GRN. The Americans scored twice in the first half and three more times in the second half, including a pair of late goals after the match was out of reach.

The CONCACAF semi finals were Canada's first of two chances to qualify for the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup Jordan 2016, with a second chance this Sunday in the CONCACAF match for third place. USA's goalscorers in the Friday victory were Alexa Spaanstra (32'), Jordan Canniff (45'+1), Civana Kuhlmann (54'), Sophia Smith (90'+1), and Frankie Tagliaferri (90'+3). The possession ended even, as Canada had 51% of the ball during the game, but they gave up 25 shots in total, including 16 on target.

On the same day in the CONCACAF semi finals, Mexico won 3:0 over Mexico in the first match of the double header. That means Canada will face Haiti in Sunday's match for third place while USA will face Mexico in the Grand Final.

FIRST HALF:
Lysianne Proulx was called upon early as Civana Kuhlmann took a speculative shot from the left wing in the 1^st minute. She was up to that task, and then watched Alexa Spaanstra put her attempt wide from the top of the penalty area in the third minute.

The ninth minute saw Canada miss a clearance and Brianna Pinto gathering the ball on the left side of the of the top of the penalty box. Her shot on target was saved by Proulx, as was the subsequent attempt by Kuhlmann from directly in front of the goal, just inside the penalty box.

Canada were struggling to get into the game, and their first attempt at goal came from a long range attempt from Jordyn Huitema in the 11th minute, but the ball sailed wide of the right post. She found herself in a better position two minutes later, taking a shot from the top of the penalty box, but sending her shot outside the left post.

Civana Kuhlmann brought down Sarah Stratigakis in the 16th minute, around 40 yards form the goal in the centre. It came to nothing, but the ball in and the work being put in by the Canadian midfield was keeping the USA defense honest. On the other hand, the USA were keeping Lysianne Proulx busy, with Kuhlmann having her fourth shot on goal in only the 19th minute.

The game was tight, with Canada holding a slight advantage in possession but the USA striking quickly and accurately. The breakthrough goal for the Americans came in the 32^nd minute from Alexa Spaanstra after a good cross from Kennedy Wesley. The ball was sent in from the right wing, going high into the Grenada night sky. It curved away from goal, dropping onto the penalty mark where Spaanstra had made a good run away from goal leaving behind Emma Regan and converting it first time into the bottom right corner.

A scary moment came in the 38th minute as Civana Kuhlmann caught Proulx in the head with her knee when chasing the ball in, but the Canadian keeper managed to make a save and shake off the knock.

America's second goal came in the stoppage time at the end of the first half. A cross came in from Jaelin Howell who had battle to make space on the right wing It evaded Samantha Chang and found Kuhlmann alone around the penalty mark. She had the time to bring the ball down and let off a shot, but Proulx managed to make the save once again. This time, however, she was only able to parry it out to Jordan Canniff who was rushing in from the edge of the box and slid in before the Canadian defenders could react, slipping the ball into the bottom right corner.

The USA had grown into the game, peppering the Canadian goal with shots. It was only the strong play of Lysianne Proulx that had kept Canada in the game for the first 45 minutes.

SECOND HALF:
The second half carried on as much as the first had ended, with a cross finding Ashley Sanchez in the penalty box in the 49th minute. Proulx stood strong against Kuhlmann and Canniff trying to force the ball home.

In the 50th minute Shana Flynn was able to get a shot on target from inside the penalty box, on the left side. Laurel Ivory in the USA goal was able to make the save, but collided with Flynn and American defender Kate Wiesner.

The USA scored their third in the 54th minute after good work by Kennedy Wesley. She latched onto a bouncing ball on the left wing and whipped in a good early cross, behind the Canadian defensive line and curling away from the goal. It was ahead of Ashley Sanchez, but Kuhlmann was sliding in at the back post and redirected the ball just inside the left post.

Canada pushed back with Sarah Stratigakis taking a shot in the 59th minute from the left wing, but sending the ball wide of near post. In the 66th minute Emma Regan found herself able to let a shot go from inside the penalty box but similarly put it wide.

The game started getting a bit disjointed later in the second half, with more fouls being called by the referee. In the 79th minute Julia Grosso was brought down by substitute Izzy Rodriguez in the centre of the field. The ball was quickly moved forward and Shana Flynn was able to take a shot on net, sending her attempt wide of the left post.

The game appeared to be running out of steam before Sophia Smith scored a fourth for USA in stoppage time of the second half as the final nail in the coffin. A pass back from Baalbaki on the right wing back to Proulx at the top of her box appered to pose no great threat, but she miscued her pass to Ashley Cathro. Smith was diligent in applying pressure and picked the loose ball up. She drove into the box and placed the ball into the left side of the net, Proulx having been unable to get herself into a proper position.

Frankie Tagliaferri scored the fifth and final goal just two minutes later after Canada had seemingly beaten off another attack. Alexa Spaanstra was first to Samantha Chang's clearance. She danced inside a challenge from Cathro and played a very neat reverse ball to Tagliaferri who was left unmarked and onside on the edge of the penalty area. The ball ran to just outside the six yard box and the American substitute slid the ball first-time into the bottom left corner.

CANADA-USA LINEUPS:
Canada’s starting XI featured Lysianne Proulx in goal, Emma Regan at right back, Samantha Chang and Julia Grosso at centre back, Ashley Cathro at left back, and Sarah Stratigakis (captain), Caitlin Shaw, Anyssa Ibrahim, Shana Flynn, Jordyn Huitema, and Jayde Riviere from the midfield up through to the attack.

In the second half, coach Bev Priestman replaced Shaw with Nahida Baalbaki (46'), Jayde Riviere with Gomez (46'), and Ibrahim with Vital Kats (75').

USA's starting XI featured Laurel Ivory in goal, Kennedy Wesley at right back, Naomi Girma and Karina Rodriguez at centre back, Kate Weisner at left back, and Briana Pinto, Jordan Canniff, Jaelin Howell, Ashley Sanchez (captain), Alex Spaanstra, and Civana Kuhlmann in midfield through to attack. USA deployed a 4-2-3-1 formation.

In the second half, coach Brian Snow replaced Canniff with Izzy Rodriguez (72'), Sanchez with Frankie Tagliaferri (76'), and Kuhlmann with Sophia Smith (84').

Panamanian referee Tatiana Montes was probably expecting a tough game, but didn't really have to intervene in play too often, with no need to pull any cards out of her pocket.