U.S. WNT Win Olympic Qualifying Tournament with 3-2 Comeback Win Over Mexico

3/5/04 10:54 PM

HEREDIA, Costa Rica (March 5, 2004) - Fresh off the biggest win in its history over Canada to qualify for the 2004 Olympics, Mexico almost pulled off another monster upset, roaring to a 2-0 lead over the USA before the Americans battled back with a goal at the end of the first half and then tied the match in the 79th minute. U.S. captain Julie Foudy then scored the game-winner six minutes from the end to give the USA a dramatic, 3-2, win in front of festive crowd.

With both teams already having booked passage to the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece, the match was still worthy of a championship game, packed with excitement, entertaining soccer and drama right up until the end. Mexico actually took the game to the USA in the first 30 minutes with a combination of great ball possession and two world-class finishes from star striker Maribel Dominguez, and found themselves in the unusual position of being up 2-0 after just 15 minutes.

Mexico scored in the 9th minute as a ball was launched over the U.S. defense into the penalty area on the right side. Dominguez battled Kate Markgraf for the ball, then won it as Markgraff slipped to the ground and hit a clinical half volley into the left corner from 12 yards out.

The goal broke a streak of 687 consecutive minutes in which the USA had not allowed a goal and ended a seven-game shutout streak in 2004.

Dominguez struck again in the 15th minute, running onto another long ball just over the U.S. restraining line. She beat two U.S. defenders to the ball at the left elbow of the penalty area and struck a brilliant finish, lifting the ball with her left foot over U.S. goalkeeper Siri Mullinix, who was caught out of the goal, and spun it just inside the left post.

The USA finally took its first shot of the game in the 29th minute as Heather Mitts crossed from the right flank to Cindy Parlow, who caught the ball on her chest, and let it drop to the ground, but she didn't get enough on her volley and it bounced to Mexican goalkeeper Pamela Tajonar.

From then on, the game belonged to the USA, which switched from a 4-4-2 to a 4-3-3 formation by pushing Lindsay Tarpley into the front line, and attacked relentlessly for the final 60 minutes of the match, broken up only by a few dangerous counter-attacks that saw Dominguez scheming inside the U.S. defensive third.

The U.S. pressure finally off just one minute before halftime as Mitts, who played a great match all game long with her attacks down the right flank, crossed from the right side. Cindy Parlow cut in front of Tajonar and flicked the ball ever so slightly with her head. The ball skimmed over Tajonar to the crashing Tarpley, who headed the ball into the net from close range. It was the fifth goal of her young career and a vitally important score for the U.S. heading into halftime.

The USA came out of the break on fire as Heinrichs made two substitutions, insert Cat Reddick for Joy Fawcett, who was suffering from a slight calf injury and putting in Abby Wambach for Shannon MacMillan. The USA peppered the Mexican goal with crosses in the first five minutes, and after Mullinix punched away a dangerous Mexican cross in 59th minute, the rest of the match consisted of wave after wave of U.S. attacks, led by Lilly and the three-front of Parlow, Wambach, Mia Hamm, who came off the bench for Tarpley in the 60th minute.

The USA had a goal called back in the 60th minute after Parlow got free in the left side of the penalty area after a quick combination of passes. Her cross was met by Mitts, who pounded a header off the ground, over Tajonar, and into the net, only to see the assistant referee raise her flag to call Wambach, who flashed in front of the 'keeper, offside.

The USA was destroying Mexico down the flanks, but the Mexicans were game inside the penalty area, clearing cross after cross as the U.S. struggled to find space among the mass of green jerseys. In the 73rd minute, Hamm took a quick throw-in from the right sideline to Lilly, who threaded a brilliant pass to Foudy inside the penalty area. Foudy touched the ball back to Wambach and she had open shot from 14 yards out, but hit it wide left.

Wambach made amends in the 79th minute on a brilliant solo effort down the right wing to tie the match. Defender Amy LePeilbet played great long ball over the defense to Wambach who powered her way into the penalty area and took a hard touch almost to the end line. Just as it seemed the ball might roll out of bounds, Wambach drilled a blistering shot-cross that caught Tajonar leaning into the field, hit off the glove of her left hand and bounced into the net. It was Wambach's 19th international goal.

With overtime looming, the USA got the winner in the 84th minute on a goal that involved four players. Wambach once again burst free in the right side of the penalty area, dribbled almost to the near post and cut a short pass back to Hamm in the slot. The U.S. forward slightly overran the ball, and couldn't get a solid foot on it, spinning it back to the far post. Lilly latched onto the ball on the edge of the six-yard box, and played a short pass back to Foudy, whose first-time shot hit Hamm. The ball then somehow rebounded back to Foudy, who struck a left-footed shot from 17 yards out that bounced oh-so-slowly through traffic before kissing the right post and rolling over the goal line.

Foudy took off on a dead run and leapt into the arms of her teammates on the U.S. bench. It was Foudy's 43rd international goal. The USA also had another goal called back in the waning minutes for offside.

The win marked the second time the USA had come from behind to defeat Mexico, also winning 3-2 in December of 2000 in Houston, Texas. Dominguez ended as the tournament's leading scorer with nine goals. With the victory, the U.S. women clinched their fifth CONCACAF regional title. The U.S. team will return to the United States tomorrow, then depart for Portugal and the 2004 Algarve Cup on March 10, opening the tournament against France on March 14. In the match for Third Place, Canada defeated Costa Rica, 4-0.

With the victory, the U.S. maintains their perfect record in every inaugural FIFA & CONCACAF tournament, which includes victories in the 1991 WWC qualifying tournament, the 1991 Women's World Cup, the 1996 Olympics, the 2000 CONCACAF Gold Cup, the 2002 U-19 FIFA Women's World Championship and now the 2004 CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying Tournament.

Source: USSOCCER.com

Videos	New Posters	CALENDARS	Books	Magazines	Games