Past champions USA, Canada set to kick off CWU20 | OneFootball

MIAMI, Florida – Past champions United States and Canada are among the teams set to begin the action on Wednesday in the 2023 Concacaf Women’s Under-20 Championship in the Dominican Republic.

Group A kicks off with Canada taking on Jamaica at the Estadio Olimpico Felix Sanchez in Santo Domingo.

Champions in 2004 and 2008, Canada will be seeking a quick start to their tournament after winning their group in CWU20 Qualifying.

Olivia Smith will be the one to watch for the Canadians after she scored eight goals in her team’s four games in qualifying. Overall, Canada tallied 40 goals in the qualifying round and will try to do the same on Wednesday, but they will go up against what is a very stingy Jamaican defense.

The Reggae Girlz were solid in the back on their way to winning their group in CWU20Q, not allowing a single goal in their three matches.

Between Canada’s high-flying attack and Jamaica’s brick wall defense, something will have to give in this opener.

Group A will continue at the Estadio Olimpico Felix Sanchez with defending champions U.S. going up against Panama.

The U.S. are seven-time winners of the CWU20 and qualified automatically for the tournament. No doubt a new generation of U.S. players will look to follow in the footsteps of past stars such as Mallory Pugh and Rose Lavelle and leave their own legacy.

Panama were quite impressive in winning their group in qualifying, scoring 29 goals and conceding just one in their three victories out of three matches.

Sherline King, who scored five goals in CWU20Q, headlines a Panama attack that will try to stand tall against the 2022 winners.