Wednesday 28 November 2018, 13:42

Spain and Mexico punch final tickets

  • Spain and Mexico to contest FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup final

  • Mexico reach title-decider for first time ever

  • New Zealand and Canada to meet in match for third place

THE DAY REPLAYED Spain and Mexico will meet in the final of the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup Uruguay 2018 after beating New Zealand and Canada respectively in the semi-finals. It will be the Iberians' second appearance in the title-decider, having also progressed to this stage in 2014, but for Mexico it marks a historic first.

Results Semi-finals New Zealand 0-2 Spain Mexico 1-0 Canada

Memorable moments Inclement weather: The semi-finals were played in wet and windy conditions at the Estadio Charrua in Montevideo – not that the fans let it dampen their mood, however. Braced against the weather with umbrellas and coats, they stood in the terraces and created a fantastic atmosphere right from the off, cheering on their teams whole-heartedly.

Role models: Hosts Uruguay may have been knocked out in the group stage, but the team's players have not yet said farewell to the tournament. Numerous members of the squad were at the stadium to watch and take inspiration from their contemporaries. Among them were Belen Aquino, who scored Uruguay's first goal at the competition, and Esperanza Pizarro, who likewise hit the target for her country.

Tight race for top scorer: Claudia Pina's goal to open the scoring for Spain against New Zealand not only paved the way for their path into the final, it also had an impact on the top scorers' list. Her tally of five puts her two behind Ghana's Mukarama Abdulai, who can no longer add to her haul following the Africans' elimination.

Maiden CONCACAF derby: Canada and Mexico contested the first-ever match between two teams from the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) in FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup history. Mexico edged Canada 2-1 in the region's qualifying competition and, once again, one goal was the difference between the two sides in Montevideo.

The words "We switched off briefly ahead of their first goal and were punished for it. That's what semi-finals are all about: small moments that decide the game. That was a turning point because before then I had the feeling we were playing very well." New Zealand coach Leon Birnie

Up next (all times local) Saturday 1 December

Match for third place New Zealand - Canada, Montevideo (16:00)

Final Spain - Mexico, Montevideo (19:00)

Follow Uruguay 2018