Canadian women down France to top Group D at FIFA U-17 World Cup in Morocco

SALÉ — Canada defeated France 2-1 Saturday to finish atop Group D with its third straight win at the FIFA Women’s U-17 World Cup.

Melisa Kekic scored for Canada, which led 1-0 at the half at the Football Academy Mohammed VI. French defender Oceane Moreau Tranchant conceded a second-half own goal.

Lea Morissaint cut the deficit to 2-1 in the 63rd minute as the French mounted a late rally.

The Canadian win was marred by substitute Reed Tingley’s sending off in the 86th minute. A disbelieving Tingley, who had set up Canada’s second goal, was shown a second yellow card by Australia referee Lara Lee for obstructing a French player as she tried to take a throw-in.

Tingley, who had come on to start the second half, saw her first yellow in the 64th minute for a tackle from behind.

The Canadians, who previously downed Nigeria 4-1 and Samoa 6-0, went into the game tied on points with France but ahead on goal difference (plus-nine compared to plus-three). Both teams had already assured themselves of making the knockout round but France needed a win Saturday to replace Canada atop the group.

The top two teams in each of the six groups, along with the four best third-place finishers, advance to the round of 16 at the 24-team tournament that runs through Nov. 8.

By winning the group, Canada avoided a round-of-16 date with Spain, runner-up in 2024 and champion in 2018 and ’22. France (2-1-0) will face Spain (3-0-0) while Canada will take on a third-place finisher from Group B, E or F on Wednesday,

Canada’s best showing at the tournament was fourth in 2018. It made the quarterfinals in 2008, 2012 and 2014.

Canada went ahead in the 14th minute with Kekic roofing the ball from close range after the French failed to deal with a corner.

Stella Grondin came close for France in first-half injury time when her volley handcuffed Canadian ‘keeper Khadijah Cisse, only to squib off-target at the last moment. Moreau Tranchant had a chance off the ensuing corner but put her shot wide.

Tingley created the eventual winning goal in the 53rd minute on a counter attack, sending in a low cross that a lunging Moreau Tranchant knocked into her own goal.

A mistake by Cisse led to the French goal. Her casual clearance went straight to Luna Laboucarie whose cross was headed into the open goal by Morissaint with Cisse out of position.

France outshot Canada 21-8 (7-5 in shots on target) and had eight corners to Canada’s one. But it lacked clinical finishing.

Canada was shown five yellow cards while France received two cautions.

Two of those yellow cards came in the first half after video review, one for Canadian Naomi Lofthouse (for a tackle from behind) and the other to Grondin (for grabbing Kecic’s hair).

The video support system allows coaches two requests per game for a video review. If the review by the referee results in the original decision being changed, the team retains its request.

Canada coach Jen Herst continued to rotate her roster, making six changes to her starting lineup.

Canada missed out on the 2024 FIFA U-17 tournament but made the seven previous editions. CONCACAF only sent two teams to the 2024 FIFA championship, with CONCACAF’s Dominican Republic hosting the tournament, and Canada finished third in qualifying after losing 2-1 to Mexico after extra time in the semifinal.

Led by interim coach Gary Moody, the young Canadians qualified for the 2025 FIFA tournament in April, going unbeaten in topping its CONCACAF qualifying group by beating Nicaragua (5-0), Panama (2-0) and Puerto Rico (3-2).

France, which won the FIFA U-17 tournament in 2102, qualified by reaching the semifinals at the 2025 UEFA Women’s Under-17 Championship, losing to the eventual champion Dutch in a penalty shootout.

Defending champion North Korea has won the FIFA U-17 title three times and finished runner-up once, while Spain has made the final four times, winning twice.

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 25, 2025.