Canada emerged victorious against France in a 2-1 triumph on Saturday, securing the top spot in Group D at the FIFA Women’s under-17 World Cup. The game took place at the Football Academy Mohammed VI in Salé, Morocco, where Melisa Kekic netted a goal for Canada in the first half. The lead was further extended with a second-half own goal by French defender Oceane Moreau Tranchant. Despite a late rally by France, with Lea Morissaint scoring in the 63rd minute, Canada maintained their lead.
However, the Canadian victory was overshadowed by substitute Reed Tingley’s expulsion in the 86th minute. Tingley received her marching orders from Australian referee Lara Lee after being shown a second yellow card for obstructing a French player during a throw-in attempt. Tingley had already been booked in the 64th minute for a tackle from behind.
With this win, Canada completed a perfect group stage record after previously defeating Nigeria 4-1 and Samoa 6-0. The victory secured their place in the knockout round, as they finished tied on points with France but ahead on goal difference. The top two teams from each group, along with the four best third-place finishers, will advance to the Round of 16 in the 24-team tournament running until November 8.
By clinching the group, Canada avoided a Round of 16 clash with Spain, the 2024 runner-up and two-time champion. France, on the other hand, will face Spain in the next round, while Canada will take on a third-place finisher from Group B, E, or F on Wednesday.
Canada’s best performance at the tournament was a fourth-place finish in 2018, having reached the quarterfinals in 2008, 2012, and 2014. The opening goal against France came in the 14th minute when Kekic capitalized on a corner opportunity. Despite France outshooting Canada 21-8, with more shots on target and corners, they fell short due to a lack of clinical finishing.
In a match filled with yellow cards, Canada received five while France was shown two cautions. The Canadian team experienced turnover in their lineup, with Coach Jen Herst making six changes to the starting eleven. Canada had missed out on the 2024 FIFA U-17 tournament but made previous appearances, while France qualified for this year’s event by reaching the semifinals at the 2025 UEFA Women’s Under-17 Championship.
Defending champion North Korea has a strong history in the tournament, having won three titles and finishing as runners-up once. Spain, with four final appearances and two championships, is another formidable contender in the competition.