CATHERINE HALL, St James — Defending champions, the United States, proved on Monday why they are the favourites to top the CONCACAF Women’s Under-17 tournament and secure one of the two places in the FIFA World Cup in Costa Rica, next year, with a 2-0 win over Canada in their Group A game at the Montego Bay Sports Complex.

In a game that saw two Jamaican female referees officiating, Cordella Samuels in the middle and Antoinette Williams as one of the assistants, the Americans got goals from Zoe Redei in the first half and Mallory Pugh in the second half to top Group A with a maximum nine points and will face Group B runners-up, Mexico, in the first semi-final game tomorrow.

Canada, who were lucky to finish the game with 11 players after defender Mika Richards gave up a penalty kick in the 87th minute, were runners-up and will face host Jamaica in the second semi-final tomorrow, when the winners will book their tickets to Costa Rica.

Richards was injured in the tackle and was stretchered off the field and to the hospital after she fell badly, while goalkeeper Rylee Foster saved the penalty kick to keep her team in the game.

Despite Canada’s efforts to slow the game down by slowly building up their attacks with numerous passes in their own half and back passes to Foster, the USA outshot them 16 to six.

Redei had missed the US’s opening game win over Trinidad and Tobago, but as one of eight changes in the game against Guatemala where she scored four times, then took her tally to five when she gave the USA the lead in the 36th minute.

Pugh, who had scored twice against Trinidad and Tobago and sat out the Guatemala game, doubled the Americans lead in the 62nd minute.

In the first game, Guatemala swamped hapless Trinidad and Tobago 7-0 with Madelyn Ventura scoring a hat-trick, as the Caribbean champions finished with 26 goals conceded and none scored.