MONTERREY, Mexico (July 11, 2022) – The U.S. Women’s National Team won Group A at the Concacaf W Championship after beating Mexico 1-0 in the final match of the group stage in front of a raucous crowd of 20,522. With the win, which was earned in dramatic fashion with a goal from midfielder Kristie Mewis in the 89th minute, the USA swept the group with nine points, nine goals scored and zero allowed and will now face Group B second-place finisher Costa Rica in the first semifinal on Thursday, July 14 (6 p.m. local / 7p.m. ET on CBS Sports Network, Paramount+ and ViX).
The USA, Canada, Jamaica and Costa Rica have all earned semifinal berths and qualified for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup. Now, those four teams will play for a berth to the 2024 Paris Olympics, which goes to the tournament winner. The second and third place finishers will playoff for Concacaf’s second and final Olympic berth in September of next year.
After going unbeaten in Group B, Canada will play in the second semifinal against Jamaica, which finished second in Group A with six points after a huge 4-0 win over Haiti and qualified for its second World Cup in the process. Meanwhile, Haiti and Panama finished third in Group A and Group B, respectively, and will play in the 10-team FIFA Inter-Confederation Playoffs in New Zealand in February of 2023.
The USA dominated the first half, claiming 70 percent of possession while keeping the majority of play in Mexico’s defensive third. The USA came close to earning an opening goal in the 15th minute when forward Midge Purce received a cross from defender Kelley O’Hara in the right side of the penalty box. Purce controlled the ball well and fired low toward the far post, but her attempt hit the inside of the post and bounced out.
In the 43rd minute, Mexico threatened while pushing forward, but a shot was deflected and it resulted in a counter-attack that saw Purce carry the ball on a 70-yard solo down the right wing, beating her defender with strength and speed before sending a low cross though the goal mouth to midfielder Lindsey Horan, who was unmarked. Horan hit her shot first-time, but her attempt went right to the goalkeeper.
The second half was much of the same as the USA came out on the front foot. The team looked dangerous as it strung together three consecutive chances in the 59th minute, but solid saves from goalkeeper Itzel Gonzalez, who played an excellent match, kept the game scoreless. In the 73rd minute, Mexico’s Jacqueline Ovalle was shown a red card following a VAR review for a nasty tackle on U.S. midfielder Rose Lavelle, leaving the tournament hosts with 10 women for the rest of the match.
Urged on by the crowd, Mexico pushed forward with some success in the final part of the match and its best chance came in the 88th minute when defender Jimena Lopez, who plays in the NWSL with OL Reign, dribbled up the left wing and cut inside before firing a shot on target which U.S. goalkeeper Casey Murphy stopped with a quality diving save.
Just moments later, the USA stunned the large crowd with the game-winner. After a corner kick from the left was taken short, forward Megan Rapinoe crossed to far post and the ball was collected and then dug out by midfielder Ashley Sanchez, who played the ball back to Taylor Kornieck, who replaced Alex Morgan at center forward in the 80th minute. Kornieck chipped a cross back to the left post and defender Emily Sonnett put a header on target, bouncing the ball off the grass. Gonzalez made a great save to push the ball up and off the crossbar, but Mewis met the rebound and bundled the ball across the goal line with her thigh for the game-winner. With Mewis’ late goal, the USA has now scored in all 60 of its matches in World Cup and Olympic qualifying.
USA – Kristie Mewis, 89th minute: Following a USA corner, defender Ashley Sanchez collected the ball inside the box on the right side and shielded it to keep her defender away. She laid it back to Taylor Kornieck, who sent a cross to the back post on her first touch. Defender Emily Sonnet met the ball with a header on target which the ‘keeper saved, pushing it up off the bottom of the crossbar before Mewis was first to the deflection and bodied the ball across the goal line. USA 1, MEX 0
Match: United States Women’s National Team vs. Mexico
Date: July 11, 2022
Competition: Concacaf W Championship
Venue: Estadio Universitario de Nuevo Leon; Monterrey, Mexico
Attendance: 20,522
Kickoff: 10 p.m. ET (9 p.m. local)
Weather: 93 degrees; clear
Scoring Summary: 1 2 F
USA 0 1 1
MEX 0 0 0
USA – Kristie Mewis 89th minute
Lineups:
USA: 18-Casey Murphy; 5-Kelley O’Hara (8-Sofia Huerta,64), 12-Naomi Girma, 4-Becky Sauerbrunn (Capt.), 14-Emily Sonnett; 17-Andi Sullivan (22-Kristie Mewis, 64), 10-Lindsey Horan (16-Rose Lavelle, 64), 2-Ashley Sanchez; 23-Midge Purce, 13-Alex Morgan (20-Taylor Kornieck, 80), 11-Sophia Smith (15-Megan Rapinoe, 64)
Substitutes not used: 1-Alyssa Naeher, 21-Aubrey Kingsbury, 3-Alana Cook, 9-Mallory Pugh, 6-Trinity Rodman
N/A: 7-Ashley Hatch, 19-Emily Fox
Head coach: Vlatko Andonovski
MEX: 12-Itzel González; 2-Kenti Robles (Capt.) (13-Bianca Sierra, 75), 15-Cristina Ferral, 14-Casandra Montero, 5-Jimena López; 20-Diana García, 6-Alexia Delgado (23-Maricarmen Reyes, 76), 8-Carolina Jaramillo (17-Jacqueline Ovalle, 61, Ejection, 73); 10-Stephany Mayor, 19-Alicia Cervantes (22-Diana Ordóñez,61), 11-María Sánchez (18-Joseline Montoya, 85)
Substitutes not used: 1-Emily Alvarado, 21-Melany Villeda, 7-Myra Delgadillo, 9-Katty Martínez
Head coach: Mónica Vergara Rubio
Stats Summary: USA / MEX
Shots: 15 / 5
Shots on Goal: 6 / 1
Saves: 1 / 5
Corner Kicks: 11 / 2
Fouls: 7 / 11
Offside: 2 / 0
Misconduct Summary:
MEX – Cristina Ferral (Caution) 34th minute
MEX – Kenti Robles (Caution) 68
MEX – Jacqueline Ovalle (Ejection) 73
Officials:
Referee: Myriam Marcotte (CAN)
Assistant Referee 1: Chantal Boudreau (CAN)
Assistant Referee 2: Melissa Rensch (SUR)
4th Official: Melissa Borjas Pastrana (HON)
VAR: Tatiana Guzman (NCA)
AVAR: Shirley Perello (HON)
Budweiser Woman of the Match: Kristie Mewis
