Canada loses CONCACAF W Championship Final after late penalty

Canada’s women’s national soccer team lost a close game 1-0 in the CONCACAF W Championship to the United States after a late Alex Morgan penalty proved to be all the scoring the Americans needed to clinch victory on Monday night in Monterrey, Mexico.

Recap:

If you’re a betting person, the smart bet heading into this tournament was for the Canadians and Americans to meet in the final. After virtually identical runs to the tournament’s showpiece, both teams arrived having won every game, scoring 12 and allowing none.

The game seemed like it may be settled by penalties throughout, but it was a single spot-kick in normal time that did the trick.

The match saw a nervy start for the Canadians, with Kailen Sheridan being called upon multiple times early, as some shots tested her and a couple were near misses. It was only after 10 minutes before Canada began to find their own rhythm, with Nichelle Prince making some chances for Les Rouges.

After an American rush, Sheridan made what may be the save of the tournament with a diving catch in the 30th minute.

A four on two rush saw Pugh miss a shot in what really should have been the opening goal of the match.

Sheridan then came up with what may have been the save of the tournament (didn’t I just say that?), stacking the pads to deny Sophia Smith on the goal line in stoppage time. The halftime whistle came with the teams tied at nil, and the Americans holding a 55-45 possession lead, with 10 shots and three on target compared to Canada’s four with two on target.

Sophia Smith rounded Sheridan in the 64th, but missed the open net.

Some proper CONCACAF-ing with the softest of touches causing Rose Lavelle to splash into the box, and Alex/Ashley/Ashtone Morgan scoring in the 78th from the spot. This was a couple of minutes after Morgan took off her shoe for no good reason.

Ashley Lawrence cut in from the left and fired a shot wide in the 87th was the closest Canada got to tying it, with the Americans winning 1-0, earning them their 9th title and third straight in the tournament.

With the loss, the Canadians miss out on a chance to qualify for the 2024 Olympics and the 2024 CONCACAF W Gold Cup, and will have to earn it through the Olympic playoff against third placed Jamaica in September 2023.

Canadians Julia Grosso and Jessie Fleming shared Golden Boot award with America’s Alex Morgan and Jamaica’s Bunny Shaw. Kailen Sheridan, Jamaica’s Rebecca Spencer and America’s Casey Morgan each had three clean sheets in the tournament.