Brazil halted Canada’s progress at the FIFA women’s under-17 World Cup by prevailing in their quarterfinal clash through a penalty shootout in Rabat, Morocco. The shootout ended 5-4 in favor of Brazil, with Gabi Pusch, Gi Iseppe, Kaylane, Pepe, and Andreyna successfully converting their kicks against Canadian goalkeeper Khadijah Cisse.
Although Chloe Taylor, Amy Medley, Naomi Lofthouse, and Reed Tingley managed to score for Canada, Brazil’s goalkeeper, Ana Morganti, thwarted Bridget Mutipula’s attempt. Mutipula, a key figure in the Canadian defense throughout the game, was denied by Morganti.
Following a goalless 90 minutes, the match proceeded to penalties. Brazil demonstrated more attacking prowess in the first half and continued their offensive efforts in the second half but struggled to breach the solid Canadian defense.
Despite Canada’s dominant performances leading up to the quarterfinals, where they outscored opponents 18-2, including a 6-0 victory over Zambia in the Round of 16, they faced difficulties in generating an effective attack against Brazil.
Brazil outperformed Canada in shots, registering 22 attempts compared to Canada’s 6, with 7 shots on target against Canada’s 2.
Brazil’s next challenge is against defending champions North Korea in the semifinals, following North Korea’s 5-1 victory over Japan. In other quarterfinal matches on Sunday, France will face the Netherlands, while Mexico will take on Italy.
This marked Canada’s fifth appearance in the quarterfinals out of eight under-17 championship participations. Their best finish was in 2018 when they reached the semifinals but ultimately finished fourth. Brazil, on the other hand, achieved their first semifinal appearance after blanking China 3-0 in the round of 16.
Canada made strategic changes to their lineup for the match, with Jen Herst introducing Emma Donnelly and Reed Tingley in place of Mya Angus and Daniela Feria-Estrada. Brazil’s leading scorer, Giovanna Waksman, remained on the bench due to a knee injury sustained in the previous game.
The game saw Brazil and Canada both struggling with turnovers early on. A critical moment came when Spanish referee Olatz Rivera Olmedo reviewed a play involving Brazil’s goalkeeper coming out of her box, but the referee upheld her initial decision following Canada’s challenge.
In the second half, Brazil’s Kaylane came close to scoring in the 54th minute, while substitute Ravenna and Canada’s substitute Melyna Alexis also had chances, but the match remained goalless. Brazil emerged victorious in the penalty shootout despite Canada’s strong defensive efforts.
Canada advanced to the knockout stage by leading Group D with wins over Nigeria, Samoa, and France, while Brazil secured second place in Group A, with a win against Morocco, a draw with Costa Rica, and a loss to Italy.
