Canadian women down Honduras to reach quarters at CONCACAF U17 Championship

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic — Rosa Maalouf scored three goals and Canada rallied in the second half to dispatch a stubborn Honduran side 4-1 in round-of-16 play Sunday at the CONCACAF Women's Under-17 Championship.

The 15-year-old from Ottawa raised her tournament total to nine goals.

Honduras opened the scoring on a wet afternoon and soggy pitch at Estadio Olimpico Felix Sanchez and proved to be a handful in the first half. The favoured Canadians showed more purpose in the second half, pulling ahead four minutes after the break.

Canada plays Costa Rica in Wednesday's quarterfinal. Costa Rica edged Nicaragua in their round-of-16 match Saturday. The defending champion Americans, who have outscored the opposition 49-0 in four games, could await Canada in the semifinal.

The CONCACAF champion, runner-up and third-place finisher will qualify for the FIFA U-17 World Cup in India in October.

Honduras came out with energy and went ahead in the 28th minute via a Susan Henriquez header off a corner. It looked like a Canadian, in heavy traffic, got to the ball first in the air but her header went back towards goal where Henriquez nodded it home.

Maalouf tied it in the 34th minute from the penalty spot. Maalouf earned the penalty, taken down by goalkeeper Nathalie Urrutia as the Canadian forward looked to dribble around her.

Maalouf scored again in the 49th, heading home a long free kick by captain Zoe Markesini. Her cause was helped by Urrutia slipping on a muddy patch in front of goal as she came off her line in search of the ball.

Maalouf completed her hat trick in the 83rd minute with a low shot from a tight angle outside the penalty box that found the corner of the Honduran goal. Amanda Allen added an insurance goal five