Coach says young Canadians are up for the challenge of Spain at FIFA U-20 World Cup

After a roller-coaster finale to the group stage of the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup, Canada has made it to the round of 16 where defending champion Spain awaits Wednesday in Cali, Colombia.

It's a tall order — Spain is a force at all ages in the women's game — but Canada coach Cindy Tye is looking forward to the challenge.

"Obviously they're a great footballing country and they've done well at this tournament in the past," Tye said in an interview.

"There's no question it'll be a challenge for us but the kids are excited and they're up for it," she added. "And they're happy to be where we're at right now and hoping to move on in the tournament."

The Spanish women won the FIFA U-20 tournament in 2022 and were runners-up to Japan in 2018.

Spain has lost just one of its past 15 matches at the tournament and is currently riding an eight-game win streak, dating back to a 0-0 draw with Brazil to open its victorious 2022 campaign in Costa Rica. Only Germany (12 wins from 2008-2012) and the U.S. (10, 2002-2004), have longer winning streaks at the tournament.

Spain has won five of the last six European titles in this age group (2017 to '24). Before that run, it finished runner-up in four of the five previous editions of the European tournament (2012 to '16).

Spain also lifted the trophy at the 2018 and '22 FIFA U-17 World Cups, was runner-up in 2014 and finished third in 2010 and '16.

Canada's best showing at the FIFA U-20 tournament was runner-up in 2002, led by a young Christine Sinclair, in the first edition of the tournament when it was still an under-19 event. The Canadian women reached the quarterfinals in 2004 and 2014 (on home soil), failing to make it out of the group stage on five other occasions.

At the senior level, Spain is the defending World Cup champion. And Spanish stars Aitana Bonmati (2022) and Alexia Putellas (2020 and '21) have won the Ballon d'Or as the world's top footballer the last three years,

While Spain cruised to first place in Group C with wins over the U.S. (1-0), Paraguay (2-0) and Morocco (2-0) in Colombia, Canada drew France 3-3 and thumped tournament debutante Fiji 9-0 before facing unbeaten Brazil on Friday for first place in Group B.

Needing just a draw to finish runner-up in the group, Canada ended up third after a wild evening that saw France move up the standings to second -- overturning a 12-goal goal difference thanks to an 11-0 romp over Fiji and Canada's 2-0 loss to Brazil.

A 95th-minute French penalty and 99th-minute Brazil goal proved to be the difference.

Tye said the Canadians were aware of what was happening in the France game and pressed for a late goal, knowing that France held the edge in the next tiebreaker (yellow cards) in case the two teams finished tied on goal difference.

"We knew we had to throw everything at it," said Tye. "And that's what we did."

The move backfired, however, as Brazil scored the goal that gave the French a plus-one advantage in goal difference.

The tournament, newly expanded to 24 teams from 16, saw a record 138 goals scored in the group stage (the previous record of 89 was set in 2016). Forty of those goals came from Canada's group, with 29 of those scored against Fiji.

While Spain has a gilt-edged pedigree, the Canadians have weapons of their own in Olivia Smith, Amanda Allen, Annabelle Chukwu and Nyah Rose, among others.

"We have a lot of dangerous attackers," said Tye, who doubles as coach of the Dalhousie University women's team.

"The thing that's great about this team is they're not afraid," she added. "They want to compete and they want to win."

Wednesday's contest at Estadio Olimpico Pascual Guerrero marks the Spaniards' fourth straight game in Cali while the Canadians have already played games in Medellin and Bogota.

"We are on the tour (of Colombia), that's for sure," Tye said with a laugh.

The Canada-Spain winner will face either Japan or Nigeria in the quarterfinals.

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 10, 2024

Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press