Canadian under-17 team blanks Costa Rica in men's soccer friendly

SAN JOSÉ, Costa Rica — Aghilas Sadek, Will Daniels and Aidan Evans scored to help the Canada under-17 team blank Costa Rica 3-0 in a friendly Friday.

The young Canadians play Mexico on Sunday, also in San Jose.

Sadek is with the CF Montreal academy while Daniels and Evans play in England for the Leicester City under-18 team and Fulham U18 side, respectively.

The Canadian team is preparing for CONCACAF U-17 qualifying play Feb. 7-16. Canada has been drawn with host Bermuda, Curacao, Anguilla, and Turks and Caicos Islands in Group A, one of eight qualifying pools.

The eight group winners qualifying for the 2025 FIFA U-17 World Cup. 

FIFA announced earlier this year that the under-17 championship will be expanded to 48 teams from 24 and take place on an annual basis between 2025 and 2029 with Qatar hosting.

Canada has made it to eight of the previous 19 editions of the FIFA U-17 World Cup including four of the last six, but has yet to record a win. With a record of 0-20-4, Canada has scored just 11 goals — one of which was an Argentine own goal — while conceding 70 at the tournament.

In 2023, Canada went home after losing 2-0 to Spain, 3-0 to Uzbekistan and 5-1 to Mali.

Canada hosted the tournament in 1987 when it was an under-16 event.

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 15, 2024