USWNT beats Canada to claim Concacaf Olympic Qualifying tournament title

CARSON, Calif. – The U.S. Women’s National Team won the 2020 Concacaf Women’s Olympic Qualifying tournament title with a 3-0 victory over Canada in front of 17,489 fans at Dignity Health Sports Park.

Lynn Williams, who also had two assists, Lindsey Horan (who scored six goals to finish second in scoring in the tournament) and reigning Ballon d’Or winner Megan Rapinoe all scored to secure the USWNT’s fifth Olympic Qualifying tournament crown.

This was the USA’s thirteenth all-time Concacaf title.

USA forward Christen Press, who finished as the tournament’s third-leading scorer with five goals, was awarded the Golden Ball as the tournament’s best player. Her spectacular play along with that of her teammates saw the USA record a perfect 5-0-0 record in the tournament with 27 goals scored and none conceded.

The match came to life after the half-hour mark with multiple chances nearly bringing the game’s opening goal. In the 33^rd minute, Press crashed a 25-yard drive off the cross bar’s upper right corner. Moments later, Jessica McDonald chased down Canada goalkeeper Stephanie Labbé and blocked a clear. The ball rolled to Press, who attempted a 35-yard long chip over Labbé, but the shot sailed high.

Canada created its best moment to score in the 38^th minute, but U.S. goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher came up with a huge save, closing fast to cut down the angle on the world’s all-time leading scorer, Christine Sinclair, and blocked her shot with her chest.

Shortly thereafter, Press had another opportunity when she tried to volley Rose Lavelle’s cross home after peeling away from her defender but was unable to make clean contact, sending the teams into the break deadlocked at 0-0.

The second half began with a flurry of chances for the USA and the dam finally broke on the hour mark when Williams intercepted a pass in the Canada box and blasted it home.

With the lead in hand, the USA did not let up. Horan’s slick dribbling move and finish in the 71^stminute gave the U.S. a 2-0 cushion before Rapinoe, who had come on for McDonald in the 62^ndminute, put the game away with her first goal since the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup Final last summer.

It was the USA’s 50^th all-time win against Canada, the most against any team.

With another regional crown and its ticket to the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo in hand, the USA will try to become the first team in history to successfully follow up a World Cup triumph with an Olympic gold medal.

Next on the Schedule: The USWNT will return to action in early March when England, Spain and Japan visit the USA for the 2020 SheBelieves Cup. The four teams will play on March 5 at Exploria Stadium in Orlando, March 8 at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, N.J. and March 11 at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas. The matches will be broadcast on various ESPN channels and TUDN.
Social: Twitter, Instagram (@USWNT) and Facebook

Goal Scoring Rundown:
USA – Lynn Williams, 60th minute: Canada defender Jayde Riviere retreated into her own penalty area with the ball while Williams was giving chase. Riviere tried to pass to a teammate, but Williams picked it off in the left side of the box and took a few touches centrally before blasting a missile into the right corner to break the deadlock. USA 1, CAN 0 [WATCH]

USA – Lindsey Horan (Lynn Williams), 71st minute: Samantha Mewis lofted a cross from the left wing to the right side of the box where Williams cushioned a headed pass to Horan. With a nifty first touch, she lifted the ball past defender Allysha Chapman and then snapped a quick left-footed shot before a second could arrive, sending a low bouncing shot just out of reach of the goalkeeper and into the lower right corner. USA 2, CAN 0 [WATCH]

USA – Megan Rapinoe (Lynn Williams), 87th minute: Strong defending from Lindsey Horan won the ball at midfield. Williams collected it and raced forward. Spotting the run of Rapinoe cutting in from the left wing, Williams threaded a ball past a Canada defender into Rapinoe’s path and the veteran forward coolly finished her one-on-one chance under the charging Labbé. USA 3, CAN 0 [WATCH] FINAL

Additional Notes:

• With the win, the USWNT is 50-3-7 all-time vs. Canada. The USA has won all four Olympic Qualifying tournament title games it has contested against Canada.
• The USA is 23-0-1 all-time in Olympic Qualifying and has scored 123 goals while allowing three.
• The USA has scored 91 goals since last conceding in Olympic Qualifying competition 4,320 days ago in the 116th minute of the 2008 tournament final against Canada.
  • 2012 41-0
  • 2016 23-0
  • 2020 27-0
• Nine players have scored so far for the USA in 2020: Horan (6), Press (5), Mewis (4), Williams (3), Lavelle (2), McDonald (2), Rapinoe, Lloyd, and Heath.
• Lynn Williams’ goal was her third of the tournament and ninth of her WNT career. It came in her 10^th start and 25^th cap.
• With her goal, Lindsey Horan finished as the second-leading scorer in the tournament with six tallies. She has 18 goals for her career.
• Christen Press finished as the tournament’s third-leading goal scorer with five strikes. Canada’s Jordyn Huitema won the Golden Boot with seven goals.
• Horan also scored in the 2016 Olympic Qualifying final vs. Canada – a game that also finished 2-0 in favor of the USA.
• Megan Rapinoe’s goal was her first since the 2019 World Cup final and 51 ^st of her career.
• Julie Ertz captained the USA for the first time. Making her 99th appearance, Ertz is one away from becoming the 40th woman in USWNT history to hit the century mark.
• Crystal Dunn, the only player to start all five games, earned cap No. 101 tonight. Earlier in the tournament she became the 39th player in USA history to reach the century mark, and she will be honored for the achievement later in the year.
• Alyssa Naeher now has 34 career shutouts in her 61 caps. She has moved past Nicole Barnhart to become the third-most capped goalkeeper in U.S. history.
• U.S. captain Carli Lloyd accepted the tournament Fair Play award for the USA following the match.

– U.S. Women’s National Team Match Report –

Match: U.S. Women’s National Team vs. Canada
Date: February 9, 2020
Competition: Concacaf Women’s Olympic Qualifying – Final
Venue: Dignity Health Sports Park; Carson, Calif.
Attendance: 17,489
Kickoff: 3:06 p.m. PT
Weather: 57 degrees; cloudy

Scoring Summary: 1 2 F
USA                          0 3 3
CAN                         0 0 0

USA – Lynn Williams 60^th minute
USA – Lindsay Horan (Lynn Williams) 71
USA – Megan Rapinoe (Lynn Williams) 87

Lineups:
USA: 1-Alyssa Naeher; 2-Emily Sonnett, 7-Abby Dahlkemper, 11-Ali Krieger, 19-Crystal Dunn; 8-Julie Ertz (capt.), 16-Rose Lavelle (3-Samantha Mewis, 63), 9-Lindsey Horan; 20-Christen Press (5-Kelley O’Hara, 81), 13-Lynn Williams, 14-Jessica McDonald (15-Megan Rapinoe, 62)
Substitutes not used: 4-Becky Sauerbrunn, 6-Andi Sullivan, 10-Carli Lloyd, 12-Adrianna Franch, 17-Tobin Heath, 18-Ashlyn Harris
Head coach: Vlatko Andonovski

CAN: 1-Stephanie Labbé; 13-Sophie Schmidt (9-Jordyn Huitema, 74), 3-Kadeisha Buchanan (capt.), 4-Shelina Zadorsky, 8-Jayde Riviere (2-Allysha Chapman, 65), 10-Ashley Lawrence; 17-Jessie Fleming, 5-Rebecca Quinn (6-Deanne Rose, 65), 12-Christine Sinclair; 11-Desiree Scott, 16-Janine Beckie
Substitutes not used : 7-Julia Grosso, 14-Gabrielle Carle, 15-Nichelle Prince, 18-Kailen Sheridan, 19-Adriana Leon, 20-Sabrina D’Angelo
Head coach: Kenneth Heiner-Møller

Stats Summary: USA / CAN
Shots: 19 / 4
Shots on Goal: 5 / 2
Saves: 2 / 2
Corner Kicks: 4 / 2
Fouls: 9 / 3
Offside: 1 / 1

Misconduct Summary:
None

Officials:
Referee: Tatiana Guzman (NCA)
Assistant Referee 1: Enedina Gomez (MEX)
Assistant Referee 2: Tonia Deane (BRB)
4th Official: Francia Gonzalez (MEX)

Woman of the Match: Lindsey Horan