Mexico Defeats Chile 3-1 at U-17 Women's World Cup

The Mexico Under-17 Women's National Team defeated Chile 3-1 on Thursday at the Mohammed VI Football Complex in Rabat, Morocco, securing its first victory of the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup. Following an opening-match defeat against Spain, the squad bounced back during the second round of the group stage to keep its qualification hopes alive.

Chile opened the scoring early in the match when Catalina Muñoz capitalized on a through ball in the 13th minute to beat the Mexican goalkeeper. However, Mexico leveled the score before halftime through Bianka Arredondo, who finished a vertical attacking sequence to restore parity and boost the team's confidence heading into the break.

Manager Miguel Gamero adjusted his tactical setup for the second half, instructing his players to advance their lines and increase pressure. The tactical shift paid off in the 64th minute when Arredondo provided an assist for Citlali Reyes, who scored to give Mexico a 2-1 lead.

As Chile shifted to a three-player defensive formation in search of an equalizer, the South American side left open spaces on the flanks. Nicole Jiménez capitalized on these gaps by driving into the penalty area and scoring with a left-footed shot at the near post, sealing the 3-1 victory.

Following the match, players expressed their relief and pride in the team's resilience. Forward Mia Urbano, who scored Mexico's first goal of the comeback, highlighted the squad's unity. "The unity we have was key, because at the beginning the match was very tight, very strong, but when we started to touch and communicate, we did it better," Urbano said.

Nicole Jiménez, who scored the final goal and has family roots in Mexico, shared her emotions about representing the country. "It is a goal that fills the team with confidence, that gives us the victory, I am very excited to score with Mexico, it is a pride to represent Mexico," Jiménez stated.

Manager Miguel Gamero praised his players' composure after falling behind in the scoreline. "We kept our calm when we were down on the scoreboard, we didn't lose order, we continued with a lot of intensity, it was a good rival, they are very dangerous players, I liked the personality of my team," Gamero noted.

With this result, Group F stands with Spain leading with six points, followed by Mexico with three points, while Chile and Australia each have one point. Mexico will face Australia on Sunday, October 25, in its final group-stage match, where a victory would secure a spot in the knockout rounds.