Canada’s national women’s soccer team secured its spot in the semi-finals of the 2020 CONCACAF Women’s Olympic Qualifying Championship in Edinburg, Texas with a 9-0 win over Jamaica on Saturday. Teenager Jordyn Huitema netted five goals, Janine Beckie added a hat trick, and Deanne Rose also scored for Canada.

The Canadians have won both of their games in the tournament so far by a combined score of 20-0 after they beat St. Kitts and Nevis 11-0 on Wednesday. Canada will play Mexico on Tuesday, and a win or tie will secure the team top spot in Group B.

“We do have one more game to go, and we know that,” said head coach Kenneth Heiner-Møller. “It’s about celebrating, smiling, enjoying ourselves today, and then we look ahead to Mexico tomorrow.”

Canada, ranked eighth in the world, has now won all eight meetings with 51st-ranked Jamaica by a combined score of 57-1, although they won their last meeting by a final of just 2-0 in 2018.

The loss for the Jamaicans eliminates them from a berth in the Olympics after they lost their tournament opener 1-0 to Mexico. The Reggae Girlz were coming off their first FIFA Women’s World Cup appearance in 2019.

HIGH FIVE FOR HUITEMA

Three days after Christine Sinclair made history with her record-breaking 185th international goal, Huitema, often called “The Next Sinclair,” made a statement of her own with a five-goal performance. The 18-year-old also had a four-goal game against Cuba at the 2018 CONCACAF Women’s Championship. Huitema didn’t score in her 10 appearances with Canada in 2019, but now has a tournament-best six goals in two games.

“She had a decent game, I guess,” joked Heiner-Møller.

Huitema, making her 10th career start, netted her first goal in the 10th minute. After Beckie had multiple chances in front of goal that were blocked, the ball eventually found Huitema, who buried her eighth career international goal.

Ten minutes into the second half, Huitema was the recipient of some nice work down the right wing by Rose, and the teenager used her nearly six-foot frame to head home her second of the game. Huitema completed her hat trick in the 62nd minute, with Canada once again exploiting the right side. Beckie used her speed to set up Huitema in front for a clinical finish.

Huitema netted her fourth off a set piece. Adriana Leon, who had four goals of her own against St. Kitts and Nevis on Wednesday, delivered a great ball into the box. Sophie Schmidt’s header forced a save from Jamaican goalkeeper Sydney Schneider, and Huitema found the rebound and was left untouched to head it into the empty net.

Then in stoppage time, Rose was sprung on the partial break, and after moving the ball past Schneider, she selflessly set up Huitema for the easy finish. Huitema now has 12 international goals after entering Saturday with seven at the senior level.

“We’ve really dedicated ourselves over the last few months to finishes and getting shots in front of net and really being clinical in front of net,” said Huitema. “I think it’s really showing on the field with how many goals we’ve been putting away.”

BEAST MODE BECKIE

Not to be forgotten, Beckie recorded a hat trick of her own, her first for Canada since a friendly against Costa Rica on June 11, 2017. She now has 30 international goals, which moves her past Melissa Tancredi for fifth-most in the history of the Canadian national women’s team.

In the 44th minute, Ashley Lawrence sprung Huitema down the wing, and the teenager found Beckie in behind the Jamaican back line. The Manchester City forward finished with a nice touch around Schneider for her 28th international goal.

Then in the 51st minute, Beckie capitalized off a mistake from Jamaica that once again saw the Canadian in behind the defenders and ended with another clinical finish. Beckie completed her hat trick in the 66th minute, as Rose found her unmarked near the top of the box.

Beckie also picked up two assists, including one on Rose’s goal in the 16th minute. Although Rose finished with just the lone tally, her first since Oct. 8, 2018, she had a team-best three assists.

INJURY AND LINEUP NOTES

One major concern for Canada came in the 70th minute, when Lawrence needed help from trainers leaving the field and was subbed out of the game with an apparent ankle injury. Lawrence was named Canada’s Player of the Year in 2019, starting in 14 of 15 games for the Canadians.

Heiner-Møller made six changes from his starting XI in Wednesday’s match against St. Kitts and Nevis. Huitema, Beckie, Rose, Stephanie Labbé, Desiree Scott, and Allysha Chapman all started on Saturday after they were on the bench Wednesday (although Scott and Huitema did sub into the game).

As expected, Sinclair did not play after scoring goal No. 185 on Wednesday. Scott, in her 150th appearance with the national team, wore the captain’s armband in Sinclair’s on-field absence.

Jayde Riviere, 19, earned her second straight start, and the fifth of her career in her 11th appearance with the senior team. Fellow 19-year-old Julia Grosso made her 18th appearance, while Gabby Carle, 20, picked up her 17th cap.

Forward Nichelle Prince was an unused sub for the second straight game. Prince had knee surgery after last year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup, but returned to the national team for its final two games of the year in November.

After playing in a 3-5-2 formation against St. Kitts and Nevis, Heiner-Møller also changed his team’s tactics, going with a 4-3-3 formation. Schmidt, who played much of Wednesday’s game on the back line, moved into the midfield, with Lawrence also shifting into the middle alongside Scott.