Under-17 Women's World Cup: New Liga MX Femenil provides boost for first-time finalist Mexico

• by Paul Kennedy  @pkedit, Nov 28, 2018

Mexico made history when it qualified for the final of a FIFA women's championship for the first time with a 1-0 win over Canada in the semifinals of the Under-17 Women's World Cup in Uruguay.

Wednesday, November 28
Spain 2 New Zealand 0.
(Pina 39, Lopez 48. Attendance: 369.)
Mexico 1 Canada 0.
(Perez pen. 25. Attendance: 628.)

Guadalajara's Nicole Perez  scored her third goal in two games with a penalty kick in the 25th minute for Mexico, which will face Spain in Saturday's final.

Mexico has always relied on American talent for its women's teams, but its U-17s have only four U.S.-based players on their roster and only two of them, FC Dallas academy defender Reyna Reyes and Legends FC forward Vanessa Buso, started.

Mexico also started one Mexican-Swede, Felicia Escobar, and one Mexican-Canadian, Silvana Flores, who is at the Arsenal academy in England.

The rest of the starters are based on teams in the Liga MX Femenil, which is in its second season.

Jaidy Gutierrez has started in goal at Club America ahead of Mexican national team keeper Cecilia Santiago. U-17 defender Ximena Rios is also a starter for America and will be missing the first leg of semifinals of the Liga MX Femenil's Apertura playoffs against Pachuca because of Mexico's run in Uruguay.

Anette Vazquez and Perez, both starting midfielders for the U-17s, have played regularly for Guadalajara, which will play Tigres in the other semifinal Liga MX Femenil.