Three former Burnaby Girls club soccer players helped Canada to an international first.
Canada’s under-15 girls’ national team, including Camila Gomez Hernandez, Julia Grosso and Emma Regan of Burnaby, defeated Haiti 4-1 on penalty kicks to win the inaugural CONCACAF championships on Sunday.
The two previously unbeaten sides played to a 1-1 draw in regulation time, despite Canada outshooting the Caribbean Islanders 14-3 and holding a 4-1 edge on corner kicks in the title match at Truman Bodden Sports Complex in Georgetown in the Cayman Islands.
The two teams also drew 1-1 in a previous Group D game on Aug. 11.
Haiti’s top scorer Nerilia Mondesir opened the scoring on a steal in the offensive zone, firing home her sixth goal of the tournament, in the 37th minute.
Mondesir, 15, shared the Golden Boot as the tournament’s top scorer with Chelsea Green of the Cayman Islands.
Tournament MVP Sarah Stratigakis tallied the equalizer for Canada in the 64th minute, heading in a cross from Shana Flynn that beat Haitian keeper Magdala Macean.
Macean did well to repel later chances from Anyssa Ibrahim and Lauren Raimondo. Nahida Baalbaki also rattled a shot off the post on a free kick opportunity, while Mya Jones also came close, clipping a shot on goal off the top of the crossbar on a long-range effort.
In the shootout, Canada keeper Lysianne Proulx stopped two Haitian attempts from the penalty spot.
Canada scored on all four of its opportunities, including Samantha Chang’s eventual championship winner.
Stratigakis, Flynn and Jordyn Huitema also scored in the shootout.
