Canadian women's soccer team falls to U.S. on late penalty in CONCACAF W Championship final
CBC
The U.S. got a measure of revenge for their Olympic semifinal loss to Canada by defeating their North American rival 1-0 in the CONCACAF W Championship final Monday in Monterrey, Mexico.
Both games turned on a penalty.
Monday's final marked the first meeting between the two North American powers since Aug. 2, 2021, when Canada won 1-0 on a 75th-minute Jessie Fleming spot kick in the Tokyo Olympics semifinal. The Canadian women went on to claim gold in a penalty shootout win over Sweden while the Americans settled for bronze after beating Australia.
This time the U.S. got the crucial call.
American pressure paid off in the second half when Mexican referee Katia Garcia pointed to the penalty spot after Rose Lavelle went down after contact from substitute Allysha Chapman. Veteran forward Alex Morgan stepped up and beat goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan in the 78th minute for her 118th international goal.
It was the first goal conceded by Canada in five games at the eight-team tournament. The Americans did not give up a goal.
WATCH | U.S. defeats Canada to secure Olympic spot:
Canada coach Bev Priestman called it a "soft penalty." But Chapman appeared to put a hand on the American's back while inadvertently clipping her right foot as she tried to chase her down.
"A great game. I knew it was going to be tight. It's fine margins at this level," said Priestman.
"Do I think it was our best performance against a Tier 1 team? No ," she added. "But that's what finals are about. These things happen. The most important thing for us is that we keep moving forward. And I'll say that to the group. I'm incredibly proud of them."
Sheridan and Morgan are teammates with the NSWSL's San Diego Wave FC.
"Alex is a big player. And big players are born for big moments," said U.S. coach Vlatko Andonovski, who downplayed the Tokyo revenge factor.
As CONCACAF champion, the Americans qualify for both the 2024 Paris Olympics and inaugural CONCACAF W Gold Cup, also scheduled for 2024.
Olympic champion Canada can still get to Paris but will have to dispatch No. 51 Jamaica in a CONCACAF Olympic play-in series, scheduled for September 2023, with the winner booking their ticket to the Olympics and Gold Cup. The Canadians beat Jamaica 3-0 in the CONCACAF semifinal.
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