Canada Loses Shootout To USA

Canada finished second at the CONCACAF Women’s Olympic Qualification Tournament tonight after losing 5-6 on penalties to the United States. Both teams scored one goal each in a 120-minute draw that led to the penalties to determine a winner.

“It was one of our best games that we have ever played against the United States,” said coach Even Pellerud.

After 90 minutes plus another 15 minutes of scoreless play, the United States scored first in the 110th minute off a free kick. American Carli Lloyd broke the wall to squeeze the ball past Canadian goalkeeper Erin McLeod, who was outstanding throughout the match.

Canada evened the score less eight minutes later after Melissa Tancredi headed home the goal off a Candace Chapman corner kick.

“Erin McLeod played extremely well in goal,” said Pellerud. “I really liked the morale of the team and the way we came back to tie the game. This was an international match of a very, very high standard.”

No goals were scored in the first half. The Canucks carried the play early and they were the first to hit a crossbar. Sinclair also had a good shot early in the game. About 13 minutes in, the Americans had their first good chance, but goalkeeper McLeod punched the save. Both sides traded rushes, but late in the half the Americans had the better part of the control.

In the second half, Canada set the record for consecutive shutout minutes at the CONCACAF Women’s Olympic Qualification Tournament (it would finish at 509 minutes). With American Abby Wambach’s entry, the game dynamics changed as the United States applied greater offensive pressure. Unbeknownst to her, McLeod made three excellent saves just before breaking the record, including one on a second chance after an American free kick.

As the second half neared its end, both sides traded chances, but Canada’s Diana Matheson created what was the best chance of the match. She beat an American defender on the ball deep in the box and made a pass to Kara Lang. The surrounded Lang, however, shot just wide.

Five minutes later, the United States had a terrific chance, but the team hit the crossbar.

In the first of two extra frames, Wambach had the best chance in the 104th minute. McLeod first stopped Wambach with a great save and then watched the second shot sail over the net. Early in the second extra frame, McLeod made another incredible save early on. In the 107th minute, though, Alexandra Marton was booked on a tackle and the Americans scored on the ensuing free kick.

After the American goal, Canada clawed its way back into the offensive zone. In the 116th minute, though, the United States got a chance and seemingly scored a second goal. The play, however, was called dead thanks to an American foul.

Just three minutes later, though, coming off a Candace Chapman corner kick, Tancredi scored her fourth goal in four games to tie the score with less than two minutes to play.

After the 1:1 draw, the match went to penalties in order to crown a tournament champion. After Lloyd and Sinclair traded goals, American Angela Hucles scored and Canadian Martina Franko hit the post. Canada’s Erin McLeod, though, then made a save on Lori Chalupny and Canada’s Tancredi tied the count.

After three pairs then traded goals (Christine Rampone and Clare Rustad, Wambach and Lang, Leslie Osbourne and Rhian Wilkinson), the United States went up for good after the seventh and final pair. After Heather O’Reilly scored, goalkeeper Nicole Barnhart stopped Brittany Timko for the victory.

2008 CONCACAF Women’s Olympic Qualifying Championship
Venue … Estadio Olimpico Benito Juarez; Juarez, Mexico
Date … April 12, 2008
Attendance … 4,151

Scoring 1-2-OT1-OT2 F-PK
USA … 0-0-0-1 … 1-6
CAN … 0-0-0-1 … 1-5

USA … Carli Lloyd … 107 min
CAN … Melissa Tancredi …116 min

Penalty Kicks
Score … USA — CAN
1-1 … Lloyd — Sinclair
2-1 … Hucles — Franko (Left Post)
2-2 … Chalupyny (Saved) — Tancredi
3-3 … Rampone — Rustad
4-4 … Wambach — Lang
5-5 … Osborne — Wilkinson
6-5 … O’Reilly — Timko (Saved)

Lineups
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

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

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.

Third-place Game
Mexico 1, Costa Rica 0