Mexico 5 Bermuda 0

Bermuda endured a baptism of fire after losing heavily to hosts Mexico in their opening group A match at the Concacaf Women’s Under-17 Qualifiers in Toluca last night.

Gary Adams’s team found the going tough against their tactically superior opponents who dominated throughout proceedings at the Mini Estadio de la Federación Mexicana de Futbol.

The stats pretty much told the story as the Mexicans enjoyed more than 80 per cent of possession and managed to fire off 35 shots at Bermuda’s goal to keep goalkeeper Taya Rodrigues on her toes the entire match.

In stark contrast, the Lady Gombey Warriors struggled to retain possession and failed to muster a single shot on goal.

Mexico’s margin of victory could have easily been wider had they not squandered a plethora of gilt-edged opportunities while Rodrigues produced three saves.

Rodrigues was far the island’s busiest player on the pitch, while the Bermuda medical staff also had little time to rest on the bench as they were called upon several times to treat injuries and cramping players as the heat took its toll.

The Mexicans went straight for the jugular from the opening whistle and should have opened their account on their very first attack.

Left back Mia Villalpando sent over an inviting cross which striker Ava Stack headed wide from inside of the six yard box.

Sofia Núñez then had two efforts go wide of the target and a header from fellow midfielder Citlalli Reyes’s cross blocked as the home side piled on the pressure in search of the inevitable breakthrough, which finally arrived in the fifteenth minute.

Winger Anaiya Miyazato ghosted her marker and pulled the ball back for Reyes, who slotted home from around the penalty spot.

Winger Joselyn Solís then doubled the hosts advantage a minute later, after latching onto centre back Adrianna González’s long diagonal cross and beating Rodrigues at the near post.

At this stage it was not a matter whether Mexico would win but rather by how much as they continued to bombard Bermuda’s back four in search of more goals.

Bermuda midfielder Zelaye Showers picked up the only booking of the match for a harsh tackle as frustration began to set in, during first half stoppage time.

Adams made one change at the half with Antoinette Barry, replacing centre back Miyari Trott.

Mexico immediately picked up where they left off after the restart with Rodrigues pulling off another save to thwart Miyazato.

However, Miyazato would not be denied moments later as she controlled Reyes’s cross and drilled the ball into the net from eight yards to make it 3-0 in the 49th minute.

Bermuda’s resistance was broken again three minutes later with substitute winger Valeria Vázquez’s left-footed shot from the left side of the six-yard box going in off the far post.

With Bermuda hanging on for dear life, the Mexicans wasted several good looks at goal towards the end, but eventually managed to add to their tally when Villalpando beat Rodrigues from just outside of the box in second-half stoppage time to cap a resounding win.

The Lady Gombey Warriors are back in action tomorrow against Haiti, who endured an even tougher outing in an 8-0 drubbing at the hands of Costa Rica earlier at the same venue.

The eventual winners of the three groups and the best second-place finisher in the final round of the regional qualifiers will secure their spot at the World Cup to be held in Morocco from October 17 to November 8.

SCORERS

Mexico: Reyes 15, Solís 16, Miyazato 49, Vázquez 52, Villalpando 90+9

TEAMS

Mexico (4-3-3): B del Real — M Villalpando, B Ibarra, A Gonzalez, A Martinez — C Reyes (sub: V Alvarado, 75min), S Barajas, S Nunez (sub: D Sanchez, 46) — J Solis, A Miyazato (sub: F Monroy, 77), A Stack (sub: M Solis, 46). Substitutes not used: V Murrieta, D Covarrubias, V Paredes, C Martinez, S Ruiz.

Bermuda (4-4-2): T Rodrigues — S Trott, A Simons, J Peets-Butterfield (sub: K Brooks-Smith, 55), M Trott (sub: A Barry, 45; sub: K Lightbourne, 55) — Z Showers, A Patton, C Dowling (sub: E Welch, 70), J Sealey — M Gibbons-Thomas, D Outerbridge (sub: N Samuels, 71). Substitutes not used: N Minors, S Baisden-Scott, K Curling, T Glasgow, P Denbrook. Booked: Showers.

Referee: G Lopez (Guatemala).