The U.S. Women’s National Team finished a perfect 5-0-0 run and defeated Canada 2-0 in the 2018 Concacaf Women’s Championship title game on Wednesday night. It was the sixth regional title for the USA, which outscored opponents 26-0 in the tournament.
Like in its previous four games, the USA found the opening goal inside the first 10 minutes of the match when Rose Lavelle scored from the top of the box in the second minute of play to put the USA ahead. The rest of the half went scoreless but as it tends to be when these teams meet, it was a physical matchup that saw Canada’s Rebecca Quinn and Allysha Chapman earn yellow cards in the 26th and 31st minutes, and Tobin Heath pick up a caution in the 33rd. The teams also combined for 16 fouls in the first half.
The USA outshot Canada 7-3 in the first 45, with Canada only managing to get one of its own on target, which Alyssa Naeher did well to push wide.
In the second half, the USA did not allow Canada to get a shot on goal, and outshot its northern neighbor 5-1, for a final 12-4 shot advantage. The U.S. continued to push throughout the period and in the 89th minute got its second goal when Morgan finished a Lindsey Horan cross with her left foot for her tournament-leading seventh goal.
Earlier in the day, in the Third-Place Match, Jamaica defeated Panama 4-2 in a penalty shootout, after the teams tied 2-2 through regulation and extra-time, to earn an automatic berth to the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup. Jamaica becomes the first Caribbean nation in history to advance to a Women’s World Cup. Panama will now go into a two-leg intercontinental playoff and face Argentina for a chance to secure a spot in France.
