After the third day of the 2024 Junior Pan American Championships for women in Surrey, Canada, the pool play prospects have become a little clearer. The USA opened with a dominant 11-1 win over Mexico, while Argentina shut out Canada 9-0, giving the USA and Argentina three wins each. Chile struggled against Uruguay, but won 2-1 to earn three points and secure third place in the standings. There are two matches left in the pool play, with the final match being the battle for fourth place in the pool standings.
Pool: Mexico (1) – USA (11)
In an 11-goal game, the USA opened the third day of the 2024 Junior Pan American Championship with their third win of the tournament. Olivia Bent-Cole led Mexico to an 11-1 victory and took the lead in the tournament’s pool standings. Mia Avello scored a goal in the second minute to put the USA in control early on. The game was mostly played in Mexico’s half, but the USA was not very efficient early on, given the number of chances and penalty corners. There was some explosive play, and Maci Bradford’s diagonal aerial one-timer into the circle was a fine display of skill. Bent-Cole and Daniella Mendez Trendler scored after some neat passing on the right side of the circle.
The third quarter saw the U.S. slow down and struggle to maintain composure and intensity. Mexico’s Valeria Espinoza was on goal for nearly every free kick and successfully disrupted many of the U.S. midfield build-up plays. Jans Kroon scored a sweeping shot from a penalty corner after a set-piece attempt was ruled too high. In the final quarter, a tiring Mexican team gave up far too easily, allowing the U.S. to capitalize. Bent Cole scored his third goal of the game with a backhand virtuoso, and captain Hope Rose started the play, finished and scored her first goal of the game. Bradford scored her second, and Ava Moore added to the score with a powerful shot from a penalty corner. Despite the score difference, Mexico’s Fernanda Guzman and Sofia Pérez looked like the team’s future and showed good potential.
Pool: Uruguay (1) – Chile (2)
Chile struggled against a high energy Uruguay. Uruguay captain Elisa Scibetta’s backhand shot in the sixth minute was too close for the Chilean defense. The game was back and forth with neither team able to score inside the circle. Uruguay’s Chiara Curcio’s backhand shot went wide off Montserrat Araya’s goal, creating penalty corner opportunities for both teams, but Chile struggled to make a clean trap at the top of the circle. In the 25th minute, Uruguay captain Elisa Scibetta’s backhand shot went wide off the goal and was too close for the Chilean defense.Number A Chilean penalty corner bounced all the way to the front of the goal in the first minute, and Uruguay attacked quickly, but Chiara Curcio missed the chance. Just before halftime, Uruguay surprised Chile when Jacinta Curchagüe made a run into the circle, pushing Araya off her line, and her clearance fell in front of Maria Rodriguez to score the opening goal of the game.
Chile withstood Uruguay’s pressure and finally managed to score in the 39th minute.Number A minute later, Maria Goni scored a penalty corner rebound to tie the score for Chile, giving them some breathing room. Three minutes later, Martina Gago put Chile up 2-1 after a cross from the right wing that struck the post. Uruguay had a chance for a penalty corner late on but couldn’t break through the Chilean defense, while Chile’s shot hit the post. The damage in the third quarter was enough to secure a crucial win for Chile.
Pool: Canada (0) – Argentina (9)
Argentina quickly came into their own against host Canada, scoring in the opening two minutes to take an 8-0 victory. After minutes of dribbling in the circle, Catalina Stamaty stunned Canadian keeper Robin Go with a backhand shot. Then Pilar Piston’s drag flick on a penalty corner beat Go and a post player to double Argentina’s lead. Canada endured multiple corner rushes and forays into the circle, but a strong corner shot by Emma Noble and a field goal by Brisa Ruggeri made it 4-0 early in the second quarter.
Argentina focused their attacking efforts, while the young Canada struggled to link up past the backline. Noble and Valentina Ferrola added goals from penalty corners just before halftime, and Canada looked to bounce back at halftime. A powerful backhand shot from Lourdes Piston and a shot from the top of the corner from Catalina Stamaty gave Canada two goals in the third quarter to take an 8-0 lead going into the fourth. A calm shot from Sol Olaya kept the scoring going, making it 9-0 after 49 minutes. The win put Argentina in a tie at the top of the women’s standings with the United States, both of which have three wins each, but Argentina’s goal differential is +23.
The teams will next reconvene for the fourth day of the tournament on 7 July, when Chile will face Mexico (10:00), USA will face Argentina (14:00) and Uruguay will face Canada (18:00).
