Canada scored three goals in each half en route to a comfortable 6-0 win over Zambia in Round of 16 play Wednesday, setting up a quarterfinal date with Brazil at the FIFA Women’s U17 World Cup in Sale, Morocco.
The Canada-Brazil winner will face either defending champion North Korea or 2014 winner Japan in the semifinal. Brazil blanked China 3-0 in its Round of 16 game.
Daniela Feria-Estrada scored twice, and Melisa Kekic, Mya Angus, Chloe Taylor and Amy Medley added singles for Canada at the Football Academy Mohammed VI. Several of the goals were of highlight-reel quality, although Kekic missed a second-half penalty.
Canada has outscored its opposition 18-2 in winning four straight at the 24-team tournament.
Canada’s best showing at the U-17 championship was fourth in 2018 when it was beaten by Mexico in the semifinals. It also made the quarterfinals in 2008, 2012 and 2014.
Canada advanced to the knockout round here by topping Group D with wins over Nigeria (4-1), Samoa (6-0) and France (2-1). Zambia moved on as one of the four best third-place finishers, behind Japan and Paraguay in Group F.
In other Round of 16 action Wednesday, France upset Spain, runner-up in 2024 and champion in 2018 and ’22, in a penalty shootout, Mexico edged Paraguay 1-0 and Japan blanked Colombia 4-0.
Zambia, whose entire team is based domestically, bounced back from losses to Paraguay (2-1) and Japan (1-0) with a decisive 4-0 victory over New Zealand.
Zambia was full of willing runners but lacked a cutting edge against Canada.
It was a stop-and-start first half due to numerous injury delays with Zambia’s Nana Malanda having to come off in the 34th minute.
The Canadians went ahead in the 13th minute on the counterattack when Olivia Chisholm’s elegant through ball put Kekic behind the Zambia defence. Kekic, who had blasted a shot over the bar minutes earlier, made no mistake this time as she slid a low shot past Zambia goalkeeper Loveness Chingwele.
Feria-Estrada doubled the lead in the 30th minute when, after a Canadian throw-in, Taylor floated a cross into the Zambian penalty box. Kekic swung a leg and missed but the ball found Feria-Estrada, who swept it in.
Angus made it 3-0 with a spectacular strike in the 39th minute from well outside the penalty box. Deftly controlling a hard pass with her knee, she looped a left-footed shot over a diving Chingwele into the top corner of the goal.
Fiji referee Torika Delai pointed to the penalty spot when substitute Julia Amireh whet down in a tangle with Zambian captain Mercy Chipasula.
Zambia challenged the call and Delai went to the pitchside monitor, electing to stick with her call after video review. But Kekic sent her penalty well wide of the goalpost in the 60th minute.
Canada then unsuccessfully challenged the penalty, seemingly on the ground that the ‘keeper came off her line.
The video support system allows coaches two requests per game for a video review. If the review by the referee results in the original decision being changed, the team retains its request.
Taylor headed home Canada’s fourth off a corner in the 80th minute with Medley, getting the ball from Amireh behind the Zambia defence, adding a fifth five minutes later. Feria-Estrada closed out the scoring in the 92nd minute with a lovely free kick from just outside of the penalty box.
Canada outshot Zambia 12-10 (9-5 in shots on target).
Canada head coach Jen Herst made one change to her starting lineup with Feria-Estrada slotting in for Amireh. Canada was without suspended forward Reed Tingley, who was sent off for a second yellow card against France after coming on as a substitute.
The Zambia starting 11 featured defender Faith Kaunda, who turned 15 last week. Melyna Alexis, Canada’s 15-year-old, came on in the 71st minute.
The Zambians were the last Africa country involved in the tournament. The Ivory Coast and Cameroon failed to get out of the group stage and host Morocco and Nigeria lost in earlier Round of 16 play.
Zambia was taking part in its third edition of the U17 championship, having failed to exit the group stage in 2014 and 2024 with a combined record of 1-5-0. Zambia qualified for the 2025 tournament by defeating Tanzania (4-0) and Benin (6-2-) in two-legged series in African U-17 Women’s World Cup qualifying play.
Canada missed out on the 2024 FIFA U-17 tournament but made the seven previous editions. CONCACAF only sent two teams to the 2024 FIFA championship, with CONCACAF’s Dominican Republic hosting the tournament, and Canada finished third in qualifying after losing 2-1 to Mexico after extra time in the semifinal.
Led by interim head coach Gary Moody, the young Canadians qualified for the 2025 FIFA tournament in April, going unbeaten in topping its CONCACAF qualifying group by beating Nicaragua (5-0), Panama (2-0) and Puerto Rico (3-2).
