CIUDAD JUAREZ, MEXICO (Apr 12, 2008) USSF -- The United States won the 2008 CONCACAF Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament on Saturday, beating Canada 6-5 on penalties. Carli Lloyd scored for the US in overtime, but Canada found the late equalizer to send the game to the shootout.
Both teams had already advanced to the 2008 Beijing Olympics. The United States is now 27-0-1 in CONCACAF competitions winning their eighth overall confederation title and their third tournament in 2008 following the Four Nations in China in January and the Algarve Cup in March.
“It was an exciting game, you could hear it in the crowd’s reaction,” said US coach Pia Sundhage. “The way we played in the second half was very good and we created a lot of chances. This is the environment that really matters when you have the word “final” attached to it and being pushed to penalty kicks it’s one of the best things that could happen to the US team in this tournament. You can’t match the feeling in practice of taking penalty kicks in a game like this, and it could happen in the Olympics. But I am very happy for the team as there were so many good things out there tonight.”
-- GAME REPORT --
Match-up: USA vs. Canada
Competition: 2008 CONCACAF Women’s Olympic Qualifying Championship
Venue: Estadio Olimpico Benito Juarez; Juarez, Mexico
Date: April 12, 2008; Kickoff – 7:30 p.m. MT
Attendance: 4,151
Weather: Clear, light breeze – 63 degrees
Scoring Summary: 1 2 1OT 2OT F PK
USA 0 0 0 1 1 6
CAN 0 0 0 1 1 5
USA – Carli Lloyd (unassisted) 107 minute.
CAN – Melissa Tancredi (n/a) 116.
Penalty Kicks
USA CAN
Lloyd GOAL Sinclair GOAL
Hucles GOAL Franko Left Post
Chalupyny Saved Tancredi GOAL
Rampone GOAL Rustad GOAL
Wambach GOAL Lang GOAL
Osborne GOAL Wilkinson GOAL
O’Reilly GOAL Timko Saved
Lineups:
USA: 24-Nicole Barnhart; 2-Rachel Buehler, 3-Christie Rampone – Capt., 15-Kate Markgraf, 17-Lori Chalupny; 12-Leslie Osborne, 11-Carli Lloyd, 5-Lindsay Tarpley (9-Heather O’Reilly, 62), 10-Kacey White (16-Angela Hucles, 76); 6-Natasha Kai (20-Abby Wambach, 46), 19-Amy Rodriguez.
Subs not used: 4-Cat Whitehill, 8-Lauren Cheney, 14-Stephanie Cox, 18-Hope Solo.
Not Eligible: 7-Shannon Boxx, 13-Tobin Heath.
Head Coach: Pia Sundhage
CAN: 18-Erin McLeod; 9-Candace Chapman, 10-Martina Franko, 11-Randee Hermus (5-Robyn Gayle, 46), 4-Clare Rustad, 8-Diana Matheson (19-Alexandra Marton, 100), 16-Jonelle Filigno (17-Brittany Timko, 70), 7-Rhian Wilkinson, 12-Christine Sinclair, 14-Melissa Tancredi, 15-Kara Lang.
Subs not used: 1-Karina LeBlanc, 2-Kristina Kiss, 6-Sophie Schmidt, 13-Amy Walsh.
Not Eligible: 3-Melanie Booth, 21-Jodi Ann Robinson.
Head Coach: Even Pellerud
Statistical Summary: USA / CAN
Shots: 24 / 10
Shots on Goal: 12 / 5
Saves: 4 / 10
Corner Kicks: 10 / 3
Fouls: 14 / 10
Offside: 3 / 7
Misconduct Summary:
CAN – Kara Lang (caution) 107th minute.
Officials
Referee: Erika Vargas (CRC)
Asst. Referee: Cynette Jeffrey (GUY)
Asst. Referee: Cindy Mohammed (TRI)
4th Official: Monique Ras (ARU)
Third-place Game
Mexico 1, Costa Rica 0
Championship
USA 1, Canada 1 (USA wins 6-5 in penalty kicks)
Courtesy US Soccer Communications
