Canada, USA renew rivalry in CONCACAF final

“As the game wears on they get a little more disorganized”.

United States soccer fans show their support before a CONCACAF Olympic women’s soccer qualifying … Can the Canadians become the first team in the tournament to score on the Americans?

Rodriguez, who finished with six goals in the tournament, was co-captain of the Penn State team that won last year’s NCAA title, scoring the lone goal in the 1-0 victory over Duke.

A feisty Herdman says his 11th-ranked squad is up for the challenge against “the team that pumps millions of dollars into their program, that has a depth of talent deeper than four countries put together, who have won everything, who always win everything”. There was something oddly poetic in this: the young players having the backs of the veterans as they make their final push for Olympic glory. And that’s a testament to the youth. “With our young ones coming, they bring that fearlessness”, said midfielder Desiree Scott, who will be going for her second Olympics this year. “I think it’s incredible, and I’m happy to be a part of it”. What can the U.S.do to slow that down?

In the last Olympics, the pair played out one of the best matches in recent memory, with the Americans emerging on top 4-3 in a semi-final clash.

Several players, including Abby Wambach and Lauren Holiday, have retired.

It’s a rivalry based on geography, and for the last decade and a half the Canada-United States series in women’s soccer has been lopsided in favour of the team from south of the 49th parallel.

Alex Morgan recorded her third career hat-trick and Tobin Heath and Carli Lloyd added goals.

The U.S. women are tactical and opportunistic.

Another interesting development is the use of Lindsey Horan and Morgan Brian as deep-lying midfielders, with the responsibility primarily on Horan to patrol in front of the back four and start the attack. It wasn’t that she had played poorly, she had a handful of assists and a milestone goal in the group stage.

Morgan then got her hat trick on 72 minutes with a nice finish in the box. Buzzing up the left wing, Pugh made two terrific plays in the first 10 minutes to earn a corner kick and send a unsafe cross into the box out of nothing. “Costa Rica is much improved and they tested us like no other team (at this tournament). I was hoping that once we went up by a couple of goals they would come at us, that they would press us, and I would be more involved in the game”, Solo said.

She may have begun the game on the bench and played only 24 minutes, but Crystal Dunn had a big smile Friday night.

“You know, it’s good, it’s a building experience for sure”, Canadian forward Melissa Tancredi said. I think you’ll see a lot of transition.

Canadians will note Kadeisha Buchanan’s inclusion in the list and it’s certainly well-deserved as she’s one of the most exciting centre backs in the game today and, at 20-years-old, has some pretty exciting times ahead. It’s a jolt to watch. “It’ll be the typical players who led them to World Cups“. The fact that the USA will head to Brazil seeking its fourth consecutive gold medal comes at the Canadian women’s national team’s expense.