Bermuda 0 Canada 9

Taya Rodrigues produced a couple of spectacular stops, including an 85th-minute penalty save, as Bermuda were eliminated from contention in the Concacaf Women's Under-20 Qualifier in Trinidad & Tobago yesterday.

Coming up against a marauding Canada side that scored 22 goals without reply against Dominica on Friday, the Bermuda goalkeeper’s heroics ensured that the overwhelming group E favourites did not rack up another double-figure score.

“Taya helped to keep the scoreline manageable with some brilliant saves,” Aaron Denkins, the Bermuda coach told The Royal Gazette. “Her resilience was definitely commendable.”

It was Bermuda’s second defeat of the tournament after a 3-0 loss to the host nation on Friday.

On a difficult afternoon during which Aaron Denkin’s side did not record a single shot on target, the Canadians got their goals from captain Jeneva Hernandez Gray and Ella Kettles, who scored twice each, Kaylee Hunter, Kierra Blundell, Teegan Melenhorst, Annabelle Chukwu, as well as Iba Oching.

“I am not disappointed in the result as there are levels and rankings in football for a reason," the coach said.

“Today was a humbling example of that. We were not able to execute at the necessary level in order to compete successfully.

“I was disappointed with how some of the goals were scored, but those are things that help the team to grow. The team did the best that they could against full-time football players and staff.

“I am proud of them. The island should continue to be proud of and support all of our young athletes.”

Rodrigues was summoned into action in the fourth minute with a double save to deny Hernandez Gray and Hunter.

Canada’s opening goal came in the sixteenth minute when Léa Larouche drew out the Bermuda keeper for Hunter to score her sixth of the tournament. Two minutes later, Melenhorst sent a cross into the box for Hunter to set up Kierra Blundell for Canada’s second goal.

Melenhorst made it three in the 23rd minute with a left-footed strike that went in off the back post.

A minute into the second half, Canada were four up as Hernandez Gray fired in from close range. The Canada captain had her brace in the 58th minute when a through-ball from Lantaigne put her in a one-on-one situation with Rodrigues.

The Bermuda keeper produced a brilliant save to block Hunter’s point-blank effort for a corner. From that set-piece, Avani Patton’s attempted clearance fell for Ella Kettles to slam in Canada’s sixth with her first touch a minute after replacing Hernandez Gray.

A combination between substitutes saw Jadae Collin deliver a cross for Chukwu to score Canada’s seventh goal of the match. Rodrigues came up with a good save to push Melenhorst’s free kick from the edge of the box for a corner nine minutes before the end.

Five minutes before the end, the Bermuda goalkeeper used her feet to stop a penalty from Natelle El Mokbel. This was after Patton’s challenge on the Canadian forward was deemed illegal by the referee.

Kettles completed her brace in the second minute of stoppage time when Chukwu beat a couple of Bermuda defenders before Melenhorst released the final pass.

There was still time for Oching to add one more goal for Canada just before the end, as she bundled the ball over from Collin’s corner kick.

Bermuda face bottom side Dominica tomorrow at 4pm in a battle to avoid the wooden spoon from the group.

Only the group winners advance to the Concacaf Championship, from where four teams will qualify for the 2026 Fifa Under-20 Women's World Cup in Poland.

SCORERS

Canada: Hunter 16, Blundell 18, Melenhorst 23, Hernandez Gray 46, 58, Kettles 65, 90+2 Chukwu 75, Oching 90+4

TEAMS

Bermuda (4-3-3): T Rodrigues – N White (sub: S Berkeley, 67), S Darrell – C Lugo-Elibox (sub: C Young-Gibbons, 79), S Trott (sub: K Murray, 79) – K Bean-Rosario, E Tuzo (sub: K Lightbourne, 56), J Peets-Butterfield – R Valana-Pearman, B DeSilva Medeiros, A Patton. Substitutes not used: D Brown, B Pacheco, A Haffar, R Brangman, J Trott, K Brooks-Smith

Canada (3-4-3): S Cortes-Brown – A Lantaigne, J Okeke (sub: Schoeley, 46), J Perreault– I Oching – Melenhorst, J Hernandez Gray (sub: E Kettles, 64), K Hunter (sub: J Collin, 64) – K Blundell (sub: A Chukwu, 46), L Larouche (sub: N El Mokbel, 46), K Martin. Substitutes not used: N Henning, O Busby, A Greco, I Nourani, S Gibson.

Referee: M Leon (El Salvador).