MalahatTwo7
11-07-2002, 03:56 PM
Weeellll.... first I have to say that I am not much of a sports nut, but I was hoping that Canada would win their game. I just never thought that the opposition would score all the points on their own net.
Canada beats Mexico on two own-goals, clinches World Cup spot JIM MORRIS Canadian Press Thursday, November 07, 2002
SEATTLE (CP) - It wasn't pretty and nowhere near their best game, but Canada took advantage of two Mexican own goals to clinch a berth in next year's Women's World Cup with a 2-0 victory Wednesday night in the Gold Cup semifinals.
"We did it on a tough day," said coach Even Pellerud. "We didn't play beautiful or play as well as I had hoped, but we were the better team." With the Mexicans pressing and Canada clinging to a 1-0 lead in the 70th minute, captain Charmaine Hooper sent a crossing pass to Kara Lang. The 16-year-old from Oakville, Ont., got tangled up with Mexican defender Elizabeth Gomez. As they fell to the ground, Gomez knocked the ball into her own net with her back foot.
The Mexicans missed on two great scoring chances in the second half, both times sending the ball dribbling past an open net.
Canada meets the defending World Cup champion Americans in the Gold Cup final Saturday at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif. The United States beat Costa Rica 7-0 in the other semifinal Wednesday.
"We had to fight our butts off to get that win," said Hooper, who will be playing in her third World Cup.
"This is the first step towards winning this tournament. We're not done yet. The tournament is not over yet. We still have one more game."
Canada led 1-0 at half time thanks to a Mexican own goal. That came in the 10th minute when Sharolta Nonen of Vancouver struck a free kick from about 30 yards out that deflected off Dioselina Valderrama and past goaltender Jennifer Molina.
The Canadians looked tentative early. The defence played strong but the forwards had trouble completing passes and setting up plays. Meanwhile, the Mexicans pressed and came close a couple times, sending balls just over the crossbar.
Pellerud admitted it was the first time he'd ever won a game 2-0, without his team scoring a goal.
"That is for sure my debut," he laughed.
In the other semifinal, Cindy Parlow scored three goals to lead the United States to victory.
It was the fifth career three-goal game for Parlow, a teammate of Hooper with the Atlanta Beat of the U.S. women's professional league.
Also scoring for the U.S. was Angela Hucles, with her first international goal, Kristine Lilly, with her 90th, and Shannon MacMillan. Costa Rica also had an own goal.
A steady rain resulted in the roof being closed on Safeco Field, home of baseball's Seattle Mariners. A loud Mexican contingent among the crowd of 10,079 blew horns, chanted and ran up and down the aisles wrapped in flags.
A few Maple Leafs could also be seen dotted around the crowd.
The Gold Cup is the championship of CONCACAF, which covers North and Central America and the Caribbean and doubles as a World Cup qualifying event.
Nine members of the Canadian team in Seattle were part of the squad that advanced to the final of this summer's FIFA Women's Under-19 World Championship in Edmonton before losing 1-0 on a Golden Goal to the U.S.
The women now have a chance to match the men's team, which won the 2000 Gold Cup and finished third in last year's tournament.
The winner of Saturday's Costa Rica-Mexico third-place game still has a chance to advance to the World Cup. The third-place finisher plays a two-game, total-goal series with the third-place team from the Asian qualifying round.
Canada won Group B in the eight-team tournament, rolling over Costa Rica, Haiti and Jamaica by a combined score of 23-1.
Canada had won all five previous times they played Mexico, outscoring them 16-3.
Against the U.S., Canada has a 3-28-2 record and have been outscored 100-20. In their last five meetings though Canada is 2-1-2.
Canada and the U.S. join host China, Germany, Norway, Russia and Sweden who have already qualified for the World Cup. The 16-team tournament will be held in five Chinese cities from Sept
© Copyright 2002 The Canadian Press
Good luck Ladies, on the final game!
Canada beats Mexico on two own-goals, clinches World Cup spot JIM MORRIS Canadian Press Thursday, November 07, 2002
SEATTLE (CP) - It wasn't pretty and nowhere near their best game, but Canada took advantage of two Mexican own goals to clinch a berth in next year's Women's World Cup with a 2-0 victory Wednesday night in the Gold Cup semifinals.
"We did it on a tough day," said coach Even Pellerud. "We didn't play beautiful or play as well as I had hoped, but we were the better team." With the Mexicans pressing and Canada clinging to a 1-0 lead in the 70th minute, captain Charmaine Hooper sent a crossing pass to Kara Lang. The 16-year-old from Oakville, Ont., got tangled up with Mexican defender Elizabeth Gomez. As they fell to the ground, Gomez knocked the ball into her own net with her back foot.
The Mexicans missed on two great scoring chances in the second half, both times sending the ball dribbling past an open net.
Canada meets the defending World Cup champion Americans in the Gold Cup final Saturday at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif. The United States beat Costa Rica 7-0 in the other semifinal Wednesday.
"We had to fight our butts off to get that win," said Hooper, who will be playing in her third World Cup.
"This is the first step towards winning this tournament. We're not done yet. The tournament is not over yet. We still have one more game."
Canada led 1-0 at half time thanks to a Mexican own goal. That came in the 10th minute when Sharolta Nonen of Vancouver struck a free kick from about 30 yards out that deflected off Dioselina Valderrama and past goaltender Jennifer Molina.
The Canadians looked tentative early. The defence played strong but the forwards had trouble completing passes and setting up plays. Meanwhile, the Mexicans pressed and came close a couple times, sending balls just over the crossbar.
Pellerud admitted it was the first time he'd ever won a game 2-0, without his team scoring a goal.
"That is for sure my debut," he laughed.
In the other semifinal, Cindy Parlow scored three goals to lead the United States to victory.
It was the fifth career three-goal game for Parlow, a teammate of Hooper with the Atlanta Beat of the U.S. women's professional league.
Also scoring for the U.S. was Angela Hucles, with her first international goal, Kristine Lilly, with her 90th, and Shannon MacMillan. Costa Rica also had an own goal.
A steady rain resulted in the roof being closed on Safeco Field, home of baseball's Seattle Mariners. A loud Mexican contingent among the crowd of 10,079 blew horns, chanted and ran up and down the aisles wrapped in flags.
A few Maple Leafs could also be seen dotted around the crowd.
The Gold Cup is the championship of CONCACAF, which covers North and Central America and the Caribbean and doubles as a World Cup qualifying event.
Nine members of the Canadian team in Seattle were part of the squad that advanced to the final of this summer's FIFA Women's Under-19 World Championship in Edmonton before losing 1-0 on a Golden Goal to the U.S.
The women now have a chance to match the men's team, which won the 2000 Gold Cup and finished third in last year's tournament.
The winner of Saturday's Costa Rica-Mexico third-place game still has a chance to advance to the World Cup. The third-place finisher plays a two-game, total-goal series with the third-place team from the Asian qualifying round.
Canada won Group B in the eight-team tournament, rolling over Costa Rica, Haiti and Jamaica by a combined score of 23-1.
Canada had won all five previous times they played Mexico, outscoring them 16-3.
Against the U.S., Canada has a 3-28-2 record and have been outscored 100-20. In their last five meetings though Canada is 2-1-2.
Canada and the U.S. join host China, Germany, Norway, Russia and Sweden who have already qualified for the World Cup. The 16-team tournament will be held in five Chinese cities from Sept
© Copyright 2002 The Canadian Press
Good luck Ladies, on the final game!