2022 Concacaf W Championship Qualification match recap: México 9, Suriname 0

México’s quest to return to the World Cup began in earnest with a 9-0 win over Suriname in the opening round of the Concacaf W Qualification. México got braces from Diana García and Katty Martínez and saw Licha Cervantes, Maricarmen Reyes, Stephany Mayor, Rebeca Bernal, and Carolina Jaramillo also add their names on the scoresheet. Despite the heavy scoreline, Suriname gave a good account of themselves. They got good performances from midfielder Andaya Lantveld and goalkeeper Mayra Tjin A Koeng, who made several good saves to keep México from scoring even more than they did.

México started out strong and kept sustained pressure on Suriname. Suriname countered by bunkering, and was able to keep México in check until the eighth minute when Katty Martínez faked a shot and played Stephany Mayor in on goal. Mayor hit a shot past goalkeeper Mayra Tjin A Koeng for the first goal of the evening.

Suriname almost conceded another in the 10th minute when a backpass didn’t make it to Tjin A Koeng, who came off of her line and was able to deflect Katty Martínez’ shot up and over the bar. Martínez looked ot have bagged one in the 13th minute when she put one past Tjin A Koeng, but the initial ball in to Mayor was offside. Jackie Ovalle got a ball with space in the 18th, but Tjin A Koeng made a diving save to keep Suriname in it. Diana García got a header that beat Tjin A Koeng in the 21st but it went just wide of the net. México doubled the lead int he 23rd minute when Diana García played Katty Martínez in past the defense and she slotted the ball in past Tjin A Koeng.

Suriname made it down to the Mexican goal in the 24th minute, but couldn’t do much with it. Martínez doubled her goal tally on the evening in the 33rd minute, getting a pass from former Tigres teammate Jackie Ovalle, settling it in the area, and firing past Tjin A Koeng.

In the 39th Mayor played Ovalle in down the left side, and Ovalle hit a blistering shot on frame that Tjin A Koeng made another nice diving save to push wide. It looked like Suriname would get to the half without conceding anymore, but Greta Espinoza hit a shot from distance in stoppage that took a deflection off of a defender and went past Tjin A Koeng to make it 4-0 for the hosts heading into the break.

México came out string in the second half and it wasn’t long before they got another goal. A through ball was dummied by Katty Martínez off to Myra Delgadillo, who passed it over to Diana García. García wasted no time in rifling it into the top of the net in the 48th minute.

Katty Martínez almost got her hat trick in the 52nd minute when a defensive miscommunication on a pass from Delgadillo, but Tjin A Koeng made another good stop. A minute later Martínez had a shot that went just wide on a play that saw Tjin A Koeng go down after a collision with Jackie Ovalle. Tjin A Koeng was able to continue after a minute or so of attention from the medical staff.

México kept the pressure on, not allowing Suriname to get the ball out of their own half in possession most times. México got a lucky break on a corner kick in the 62nd minute when a Rebeca Bernal header somehow made its way through traffic and into the back of the net to make it 6-0.

México had another chance in the 65th when a giveaway saw Joseline Montoya run down the right flank and hit a nice cross that went just over the fingertips of a jumping Tjin A Koeng and onto the head of María Sánchez, but the resulting header missed the mark. Licha Cervantes had a golden opportunity in the 74th when she was in all alone on Tjin A Koeng but her shot hit flush on the far post. A minute later Cervantes took advantage of a bobbled save by Tjin A Koeng, corralling the loose ball and feeding it to Caro Jaramillo, who hit the shot into the back of the open net to make it 7-0.

Tjin A Koeng came up big again however a minute later, stopping a shot from close range and not giving up a rebound with Cervantes closing in fast. In the 80th a cross floated into the box was tipped by Tjin A Koeng on its way to Cervantes, changing the trajectory of the pass and turning an easy header into one that clattered off of the crossbar. In the 83rd minute Shamaira Stekkinger got past the México defense, but a heavy touch allowed Emily Alvarado to come out and clear the danger. In the 87th minute a free kick couldn’t be cleared out by the Surinamese defense and Maricarmen Reyes was able to hit a blast from close range into the back of the net to make it 8-0

Licha Cervantes then added her name onto the scoresheet a minute later when she got a header on a cross in from María Sánchez to make it 9-0. That was the final score of the game, with México dominating all facets of play. They fly to the Dominican Republic to face Antigua and Barbuda on Sunday, February 20 while Suriname hosts Anguilla on Tuesday, February 22nd.

México: Emily Alvarado; Kenti Robles, Rebeca Bernal, Greta Espinoza, Bianca Sierra; Jackie Ovalle (María Sánchez, 54’), Diana Garcia (Carolina Jaramillo, 68’), Alexia Delgadillo; Stephany Mayor (Maricarmen Reyes, 80’), Myra Delgadillo (Joseline Montoya, 54’), Katty Martínez (Licha Cervantes, 54’)

Suriname: Mayra Tjin A Koeng; Xaviera Krimbo, Ravelcheny Van Ommeren (Chayenne Purperhart, 68’), Hadassa Brandon, Rowena Ondaan; Cady Chin See Chong (Mirelva Wongsodimedjo, 63’), Amy Banarsie, Griffith Vaissaire; Shamaira Stekkinger, Andaya Lantveld (Samania Loe-A-Foe, 86’), Pamela Ansoe (Tryfosa Sastrokomo, 63’)

Scoring: México - Stephany Mayor (9’), Katty Martínez (24’, 33’), Diana García (45+2’, 48’), Rebeca Bernal (63’), Carolina Jaramillo (75’), Maricarmen Reyes (88’), Licha Cervantes (89’); Suriname - None

Disciplinary: México - None; Suriname - Tryfosa Sastrokomo (Yellow - 67‘), Amy Banarsie (Yellow - 70’)