SAN JOSE, Costa Rica, (CMC) – Tournament favourites USA predictably defeated Guyana, while Puerto Rico registered a hard-fought draw with Costa Rica when the CONCACAF Women’s Under-20 Championships continued at the Estadio Alejandro Morera Soto here on Friday.
The USA were in a no-nonsense mood, hammering Guyana 8-0 in the opening match, before Puerto Rico produced a gutsy effort in a goalless draw against the hosts.
USA were led by Izzy Engle, whose beaver trick spearheaded the rout.
She put her side ahead in the fifth minute before Kennedy Fuller converted from the penalty spot in the 13th minute to make it 2-0 to the USA.
Engle got on the scoresheet again in the 24th minute and goals from Sealy Strawn one minute later and Linda Ullmark in the 37th minute stretched their lead to 5-0.
Engle then grabbed her hat-trick four minutes before half time with a superb long-range effort before completing a dominant performance with a goal in the 48th minute.
Emma Johnson then sealed the deal for the USA in the 77th minute in the lopsided contest.
In the nightcap, neither Puerto Rico nor Costa Rica was able to find the back of the net in an entertaining contest.
Puerto Rico had the clearer chances in the closing minutes of the first half, as Susana Roberts attempted to break the deadlock in the 41st minute.
Alondra González had a chance to give the hosts their first goal of the match in the 78th minute, but her header went above the crossbar.
Goalkeepers Valeria Fernández of Costa Rica and Alondra Iriarte of Puerto Rico each collected their first clean sheet of the campaign.