Canada defeated Costa Rica 2-1 in penalty kicks on Sunday to qualify for the 2019 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Brazil.
Whitecaps FC Academy products once again played a prominent role for the Red and White in the victory. Five players started the match, including centre backs Nathan Demian and captain Gianfranco Facchineri, right back Deylen Vellios, as well as midfielder Damiano Pecile and forward Kam Habibullah from the Development Squad. First team midfielder and Canada team captain Simon Colyn came off the bench.
After a 1-1 draw through regulation on penalty kicks from Canada's Jayden Nelson and Costa Rica's Geancarlo Castro, the match went to a shootout.