Mexico beat the USA for the second time ever, getting goals from Lizbeth Ovalle and Mayra Pelayo for a 2-0 victory Monday night within the CONCACAF Women’s Gold Cup.
The US entered the sport 40-1-1 against its rival, with its only previous loss a 2-1 decision during Women’s World Cup qualifying in 2010.
It was the primary loss for the US under interim coach Twila Kilgore, who took over after the team’s dramatic exit from the Women’s World Cup last summer within the round of 16. Emma Hayes will take over for Kilgore this spring.
Mexico, which did not qualify for last yr’s World Cup, finished atop Group A within the Gold Cup while the USA finished second. Each teams advanced to the knockout round.
“They went out and so they were daring, they were brave with the dream of playing a very good game against the USA,” Mexico coach Pedro Lopez Ramos said.
Ovalle, who plays for Tigres of Monterrey, put Mexico ahead within the twenty eighth minute. US defender Becky Sauerbrunn tried to defend Ovalle but kicked the ball right at her.
Ovalle floated a shot over goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher and two US defenders and into the online.
It was the primary goal conceded by the US to a CONCACAF opponent in 33 matches.
“I believe it just shows how far the sport is coming and there’s no easy games anymore. And if we don’t deal with business and we don’t execute, that is to be expected,” Kilgore said. “We’ll step up and take ownership in that and I believe anytime you may have a gaggle that’s willing to take ownership in things like this, it’s a very good thing for the long run of the tournament. Every little thing’s still on the table and we’ll be motivated, that’s obviously.”
Sauerbrunn took full responsibility for the goal, each on the sphere and within the locker room afterward.
“As a veteran, you recognize, you may have some rough days on the office and tonight is certainly a rough day,” she said. “But luckily, you’ll have one other day on the office and it’s just what you make out of it.
Mexico nearly scored again in first-half stoppage time but Karla Nieto’s shot from distance hit the crossbar.
Kiana Palacios had a very good likelihood to offer Mexico a cushion but her shot hit defender Abby Dahlkemper and bounded away.
By that point, Mexico could feel its momentum.
Pelayo scored from distance in stoppage time and Mexico’s players celebrated wildly on the sphere.
“If we lose within the quarterfinals, then the gorgeous win of today is useless,” Lopez Ramos said through a translator. “I hope that this shouldn’t be an isolated moment.”
The US saw success from its teenagers in the primary two games of the tournament. Olivia Moultrie, 18, scored twice in a 5-0 victory over the Dominican Republic and Jaedyn Shaw, 19, scored a pair in a 4-0 victory over Argentina.
But Mexico played surprisingly tough and the USA couldn’t rebound after conceding that first goal.
“I might say 2010, in that game, playing in Cancun, that stadium, I believe we were all just a little bit surprised by that results of qualifying for the World Cup,” said Sauerbrunn, who played in that loss 14 years ago. “I might say tonight that we never take any opponent with no consideration. I believe that they had a game plan and so they executed it higher than than what we had for our game plan. In order that’s all on us.”
That is the first-ever Women’s Gold Cup, created to offer women’s teams within the CONCACAF region more competitive matches. Twelve teams played group-stage matches across three cities: Carson, San Diego and Houston.
Argentina beat the Dominican Republic 3-0 earlier Monday in Group A.
The teams shall be re-seeded following the group stage, so Mexico and the USA can have to attend to learn their opponents within the quarterfinals.
“The incontrovertible fact that everyone in that locker room can say they played a component in it’s an enormous deal,” Diana Ordonez said afterward. “We’re just really proud but we all know that we still have work to do.”
Mexico beat the USA for the second time ever, getting goals from Lizbeth Ovalle and Mayra Pelayo for a 2-0 victory Monday night within the CONCACAF Women’s Gold Cup.
The US entered the sport 40-1-1 against its rival, with its only previous loss a 2-1 decision during Women’s World Cup qualifying in 2010.
It was the primary loss for the US under interim coach Twila Kilgore, who took over after the team’s dramatic exit from the Women’s World Cup last summer within the round of 16. Emma Hayes will take over for Kilgore this spring.
Mexico, which did not qualify for last yr’s World Cup, finished atop Group A within the Gold Cup while the USA finished second. Each teams advanced to the knockout round.
“They went out and so they were daring, they were brave with the dream of playing a very good game against the USA,” Mexico coach Pedro Lopez Ramos said.
Ovalle, who plays for Tigres of Monterrey, put Mexico ahead within the twenty eighth minute. US defender Becky Sauerbrunn tried to defend Ovalle but kicked the ball right at her.
Ovalle floated a shot over goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher and two US defenders and into the online.
It was the primary goal conceded by the US to a CONCACAF opponent in 33 matches.
“I believe it just shows how far the sport is coming and there’s no easy games anymore. And if we don’t deal with business and we don’t execute, that is to be expected,” Kilgore said. “We’ll step up and take ownership in that and I believe anytime you may have a gaggle that’s willing to take ownership in things like this, it’s a very good thing for the long run of the tournament. Every little thing’s still on the table and we’ll be motivated, that’s obviously.”
Sauerbrunn took full responsibility for the goal, each on the sphere and within the locker room afterward.
“As a veteran, you recognize, you may have some rough days on the office and tonight is certainly a rough day,” she said. “But luckily, you’ll have one other day on the office and it’s just what you make out of it.
Mexico nearly scored again in first-half stoppage time but Karla Nieto’s shot from distance hit the crossbar.
Kiana Palacios had a very good likelihood to offer Mexico a cushion but her shot hit defender Abby Dahlkemper and bounded away.
By that point, Mexico could feel its momentum.
Pelayo scored from distance in stoppage time and Mexico’s players celebrated wildly on the sphere.
“If we lose within the quarterfinals, then the gorgeous win of today is useless,” Lopez Ramos said through a translator. “I hope that this shouldn’t be an isolated moment.”
The US saw success from its teenagers in the primary two games of the tournament. Olivia Moultrie, 18, scored twice in a 5-0 victory over the Dominican Republic and Jaedyn Shaw, 19, scored a pair in a 4-0 victory over Argentina.
But Mexico played surprisingly tough and the USA couldn’t rebound after conceding that first goal.
“I might say 2010, in that game, playing in Cancun, that stadium, I believe we were all just a little bit surprised by that results of qualifying for the World Cup,” said Sauerbrunn, who played in that loss 14 years ago. “I might say tonight that we never take any opponent with no consideration. I believe that they had a game plan and so they executed it higher than than what we had for our game plan. In order that’s all on us.”
That is the first-ever Women’s Gold Cup, created to offer women’s teams within the CONCACAF region more competitive matches. Twelve teams played group-stage matches across three cities: Carson, San Diego and Houston.
Argentina beat the Dominican Republic 3-0 earlier Monday in Group A.
The teams shall be re-seeded following the group stage, so Mexico and the USA can have to attend to learn their opponents within the quarterfinals.
“The incontrovertible fact that everyone in that locker room can say they played a component in it’s an enormous deal,” Diana Ordonez said afterward. “We’re just really proud but we all know that we still have work to do.”
