The United States Women's National Team qualified fro the 2008 Olympics on Wednesday, beating Costa Rica 3-0 in the CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying Tournament semifinals.
CIUDAD JUAREZ, MEXICO (Apr 9, 2008) USSF -- The US Women’s National Team rebounded from a frustrating first half to score three second half goals – two by Natasha Kai – and clinch a spot in the 2008 Beijing Olympics with a 3-0 win over Costa Rica in the semifinal of 2008 CONCACAF Olympic Women’s Qualifying.
In the second game of Wednesday night's doubleheader, Canada beat Mexico 1-0 to take the other Olympic qualifying slot. This is the first time Canada has made the Olympics in Women's soccer. The US will play Canada in the championship game of the 2008 CONCACAF Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament on Saturday, April 12, at 9:30pm ET.
The semifinals were played in difficult conditions with high winds and a dust storm that made every ball in the air a challenge. In the first 45 minutes, the US struggled mightily to find a rhythm against Costa Rica. Lori Chalupny was one of the USA’s main attacking weapons in the first half, repeatedly getting around the corner on the left side, but her crosses could not find a US player.
In the second half, Heather O’Reilly, aided by halftime substitute Tobin Heath, ran the flanks as the US pounded away at the Costa Rica goal, forcing the Ticas to drop even deeper into its own half. The USA took full advantage of the stretched out field and finally broke through in the 57th minute.
"Of course it was a great feeling when you score goals, especially the first one, because then we knew Costa Rica had to attack," said US head coach Pia Sundhage. "But I have to say, we have to be smarter, and I think we were smarter in the second half. They were so tight centrally, so we needed to go wide. We needed to use the flanks better and that's why we changed the system a little bit, so we had Heather O'Reilly and Tobin Heath on each side and I think that changed the game."
Heath got around the defense on the left side, as she would the entire half, and cut a ball back on the ground to Kai. The US forward smacked her shot hard on frame from 10 yards out, and it initially looked as if Costa Rica goalkeeper Priscilla Tapia had made the save. Instead, it rolled through her hands and over the line, giving the US the 1-0 lead.
The second goal came in the 72nd minute as Carli Lloyd sent in a free kick from the left wing. Kai got her head on the ball, but sent it looping high in the air toward the goal. Tapia went up to grab the ball on her line but fumbled it, gifting O’Reilly her 19th international goal from just a foot away.
74th minute substitute Amy Rodriguez created the final goal as fellow sub Angela Hucles played her down the right wing. Rodriguez raced around a defender and chipped a pass back to Hucles, who played a square pass right into the path of Kai. 3-0 US in the 89th minute. The two goals gave Kai four for the tournament and 14 for her career.
-- GAME REPORT --
Match-up: USA vs. Costa Rica
Competition: 2008 CONCACAF Women’s Olympic Qualifying Semifinal
Venue: Estadio Olimpico Benito Juarez; Juarez, Mexico
Date: April 9, 2008; Kickoff – 5:00 p.m. MT
Attendance: 22,280 (Sell-Out)
Weather: Windy – 73 degrees
Scoring Summary: 1 2 F
USA 0 3 3
CRC 0 0 0
USA – Natasha Kai (Tobin Heath) 57th minute.
USA – Heather O’Reilly (Natasha Kai) 72.
USA – Natasha Kai (Angela Hucles) 89.
Lineups:
USA: 18-Hope Solo; 14-Stephanie Cox, 3-Christie Rampone – Capt., 4-Cat Whitehill, 17-Lori Chalupny; 9-Heather O’Reilly (16-Angela Hucles, 83), 7-Shannon Boxx, 11-Carli Lloyd, 5-Lindsay Tarpley (13-Tobin Heath, 46); 6-Natasha Kai, 20-Abby Wambach (19-Amy Rodriguez, 74).
Subs not used: 2-Rachel Buehler, 8-Lauren Cheney, 12-Leslie Osborne, 24-Nicole Barnhart.
Not Eligible: 10-Kacey White, 15-Kate Markgraf.
Head Coach: Pia Sundhage
CRC: 1-Priscilla Tapia; 3-Vanessa Rojas, 4-Karol Galves, 5-Amanda Esquivel, 10-Katherine Alvarado, 15-Cristin Granados, 16-Yuliana Rodriguez, 8-Monica Malavassi – Capt., 12-Laura Sanchez, 14-Amara Wilson, 17-Adriana Venegas (13-Megan Chavez, 69).
Subs not used: 2-Adriana Rodriguez, 6-Gabriela Trujillo, 9-Paola de los Angeles Alvarado, 11-Raquel Rodriguez, 18-Yirlania Arroyo, 19-Maria Flores,
Not Eligible: 7-Mariela Campos, 20-Wendy Acosta.
Head Coach: Juan Diego Quesada
Statistical Summary: USA / CRC
Shots: 26 / 6
Shots on Goal: 13 / 4
Saves: 4 / 9
Corner Kicks: 9 / 2
Fouls: 17 / 10
Offside: 2 / 0
Misconduct Summary: None.
Officials
Referee: Diane Ferreira-James (GUY)
Asst. Referee: Isabel Tovar (MEX)
Asst. Referee: Rita Munoz (MEX)
4th Official: Carol Ann Chenard (CAN)
Courtesy of US Soccer Communications
