Tuesday, 19 Jul 2022. 00:05
GUADALUPE, Mexico — A 78th-minute penalty goal from Alex Morgan helped USA beat Canada 1-0 in the Concacaf Women’s Soccer Championship final on Monday night.
It was the first meeting between the two teams since August 2, 2021, when Jessie Fleming scored from a penalty to propel Canada to a 1-0 victory in the finals of the Tokyo Games tournament.
The Canadians then beat the Swedes in the shootout to win the gold medal. The Americans had to settle for the bronze medal.
This time, it was the United States who obtained the decisive penalty to secure a place at the Paris Games in 2024.
American pressure paid its dividends in the second half when Mexican referee Katia Garcia called a foul following contact between Canadian Allysha Chapman and her opponent Rose Lavelle.
Morgan sat at the penalty spot and eluded Kailen Sheridan’s vigilance to score the 118th international goal of her career.
As Concacaf champions, the Americans have qualified for the Olympics, but also for the inaugural women’s Gold Cup tournament, which will also be played in 2024.
“It’s always tough games against the Americans,” defender Ashley Lawrence said. I thought we had a good game. Our goal was to qualify for the Olympics and the World Cup. Unfortunately, we ran out today. »
The Canadians, Olympic champions, can still have their ticket to Paris, but they will have to overcome Jamaica in the Concacaf Olympic qualifiers, scheduled for September 2023. Canada shut out Jamaica 3-0 in the semi-finals of the tournament of Concacaf.
“The important thing is that the players gave their all in this game,” said Canadian head coach Bev Priestman. We really tried everything. But it wasn’t our day and it happens. We must concentrate on getting our ticket the next time we have the chance. »
Substitute Kiki Van Zanten scored in the 102nd minute as Jamaica cruised to a 1-0 win over Costa Rica for third place earlier on Monday.
The four Concacaf tournament semi-finalists have already punched their ticket to the FIFA Women’s World Cup, to be held in Australia and New Zealand in 2023. Panama and Haiti, who both took third place of their group, will advance to the intercontinental qualifiers for the World Cup.