The teams secured the region’s berths in the Rio Olympics with victories in the semifinals Friday night.
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On Friday, Canada advanced to the CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying finals after defeating Costa Rica 3-1.
Lee Monistere, 8, watches the United States team warm up before a CONCACAF Olympic women’s soccer qualifying championship semifinal against Trinidad and Tobago, Friday, Feb. 19, 2016, in Houston. “But I think we get frustrated because it tends to be such a physical game that it takes us out of the quality of soccer that we want to play, so it is definitely a rivalry for us in that respect”. “We were the number two defensive team in the World Cup so I think it’s a good testament to how good our defence is”.
Coach Jill Ellis tinkered with the lineup for the match, sitting Crystal Dunn and Ali Krieger, who had both logged a lot of minutes in the tournament. The average age of the qualifying team is 25, down from the 29.5-year average of the team that won the World Cup in Canada last summer. Amy Rodriguez and Sydney Leroux are expecting and won’t be available for the Olympics.
Injury took away Megan Rapinoe, who if healthy presumably would have been in the spot Pugh occupied.
The U.S. national team had just qualified for the Olympics, and the 17-year-old player now faced cameras and questions.
Pugh started the semi-final with Trinidad and provided the assist for Heath’s goal with a low cross from the left.
Said Pugh afterward: “I was just really excited and a little bit nervous because of how big the game was…”
Of the 20 players on the Canadian roster in Texas, only captain Christine Sinclair has savoured the taste of beating the U.S. There’s an assembly of veterans in this Canadian team who, despite all their accomplishments in their careers, are still looking for a first win against their most heated foes. But first, a chance at a small measure of revenge as they take on the United States tomorrow in the Olympic qualifying final.
USWNT’s Lindsey Horan, who will play for the Thorns this season, is garnering praise for what has been a smooth transition to the midfield from striker, where she played for Paris Saint Germain.
The tie was over as a contest on the stroke of half-time when goalkeeper Kimika Forbes allowed a header from Carli Lloyd, the FIFA World Player of the Year, to slip through her grasp.
Christine Sinclair isn’t quite sure how she scored the second of two goals that helped send Canada back to the Olympics. Pugh’s leg movements weren’t dance steps but part of the warm-up routine she and the rest of the USA women’s national team do.
“I was so mentally focused and prepared”. “I hope we can do Canada proud again”. “I think they’ll go back to their tried and tested and probably give Canada the respect for a game like this”.
Trinidad earned a spot in the semifinal by finishing second in its group with wins over Guyana and Guatemala.
In a little less than 48 hours, either Team Canada or the US will be lifting and kissing the championship as the 2016 CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying champion.
The Americans went on to win the gold medal with a 2-1 win over Japan.
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Afterward, Trinidad and Tobago coach Richard Hood praised his team for the effort, but admitted they were simply outmatched by the World Cup champions.
