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Despite a 2-1 loss to Chile in the Group K final on Tuesday, Canada advanced to the knockout stages of the FIFA U-17 World Cup for the first time in nine trips to the tournament.
The young Canadians had a chance to come back even in stoppage time, but striker Van Parker converted a penalty in the 99th minute.
Tournament debutants Uganda crushed France 1-0 in the other Group K match, leaving all four teams with four points and a 1-1-1 record. But Canada still finished second to the French and advanced to the round of 16 in the expanded 48-team tournament, up from 24 teams in 2023 in Indonesia. Uganda finished third and Chile fourth.
The top two teams in each group plus the eight best third-place teams qualify for the round of 16.
Canada had never won a game in its eight previous tournament appearances, posting a dismal 0-20-4 record. But this year was a different story.
Canada rallied with two late goals, the winner a 98th-minute penalty, for a 2-1 win over Uganda before holding France to a scoreless draw.
Chile lost 2-0 to France and then settled for a 1-1 draw with Uganda after conceding a goal in the 93rd minute.
The tournament will run until November 27 on eight courses at the Aspire Zone complex in Doha, Qatar. The final will take place at the Khalifa International Stadium, which is also located within the Aspire Zone.
York United striker Shola Jimoh opened the scoring for Canada in the 32nd minute. But Zidane Yanez and Matias Orellana answered for Chile in the 55th and 66th minutes, respectively.
Drama at the end of the match
There was a lot of late drama.
Francisco Daza saved Canada's goal in the 76th minute with a goal-line clearance from Aidan Evans after goalkeeper Vicente Villegas failed to keep a cross.
Chile finished the game with 10 men after Yanez was sent off in the 84th minute following a video review of a confrontation between the Chilean striker and Sahil Deo, with Yanez throwing a boot as they went down. Both players initially received yellow cards before Yanez's punishment was upgraded to red.
Finding himself behind the Canadian defense, Amaro Perez had a good chance to make it 3-1 to Chile in stoppage time, but shot wide. A video review in stoppage time resulted in a penalty after Parker went down in the Chile penalty area following a push to the back of Alonso Holguin.
Canada entered the match tied on points with France, but finished second in the group with a goal difference of one goal.
Canada took the lead when Jimoh, receiving a good feed from Kevin Khan, beat Villegas with a low shot into the corner of the goal.
Chile equalized in the 55th minute when Canada failed to convert a free kick. After the initial clearance, the ball returned to the penalty area where Martin Jimenez sent it across the goal and Yanez, gliding across the goal, slotted it home.
Yanez was 15 when he signed a homegrown contract with New York City FC in December 2023.
Orellana gave Chile the lead in the 66th minute. Unmarked, his first shot hit Deo, but the ball bounced back to Orellana, who made no mistake on his second attempt.
Canadian coach Mike Vitulano made just one change to his starting lineup: Parker was named to the 2025 MLS Next All-Star squad as a member of Real Salt Lake's U16 squad, replacing the suspended Marius Ienero.
The Chilean national team included midfielder Antonio Riquelme, also a product of the Real Salt Lake City academy.
Greek referee Vasilios Photias went to the pitchside monitor to review the tackle that resulted in Canada's Khan receiving a yellow card in the 54th minute but refused further punishment.
The tournament video system allows coaches to request a video review twice per game. If the referee's check results in a change to the original decision, the team retains its request.
On the eve of the tournament, Ienero, Antone Bossenberry and Sasha Chernik were added to the squad, while Andre Ali-Gayapersad, Owen Graham-Roach and Stefan Kapor withdrew due to injury.
The Canadians booked their berth at the World Cup in February by topping their five-team qualifying group, which includes hosts Bermuda, Anguilla, Curacao and Turks and Caicos, with a perfect 4-0-0 record. They beat their opponents 28:2, with both goals coming from penalties.
Chile qualified by finishing fourth at the South American Under-17 Championship in April, losing 3-0 to Venezuela in the third-place game after losing 1-0 to eventual champions Brazil in the semi-finals.
The Chileans, competing in their sixth FIFA U-17 World Cup, finished third in 1993.
