ALAJUELA — Isabella Lanzillotta's 43rd-minute goal lifted Canada to a 1-0 victory over Puerto Rico in its opening match Monday at the CONCACAF Girls’ U-15 Championship.
The goal by the midfielder from Mississauga, Ont., was assisted by Hamilton's Olivia Tapping.
The young Canadians face El Salvador on Tuesday and Mexico on Thursday in Group B play. The top two teams from Group A, which features the U.S., host Costa Rica, Haiti and Jamaica, and Group B advance to Friday's semifinals.
The fifth edition of the tournament, which runs through Aug. 11, features a record 34 CONCACAF teams. The competition is split between three host countries with Costa Rica staging League A and Trinidad and Tobago and Aruba hosting League B and C, respectively.
Monday's win improved Canada's record at the U15 tournament to 17-4-2.
Canada lost 4-1 to the U.S. in the League A final at the last CONCACAF U-15 Championship in 2022 in Tampa, Fla. The Americans also won in 2016 and 2018.
Canada won the tournament in 2014, beating Haiti on penalties in the final, and also finished runner-up in 2016. It failed to reach the semifinals in 2018. Canadians who have played in the U15 tournament include Olympic champions Julia Grosso (2014), Jordyn Huitema (2014 and 2016) and Jayde Riviere (2016).
The current Canadian team is coached by Tina Cook.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 5, 2024
The Canadian Press