The U.S. women's national team was matched with the expected semifinal opponent in the CONCACAF Women's Gold Cup on Sunday when Canada completed an unbeaten first stage with a 3-0 victory over Costa Rica at Victoria, British Columbia.
The Americans (3-0-0) on Wednesday will face the Costa Ricans, who went 2-1-0 in Group 2 play, in a semifinal at Safeco Field in Seattle. The Canadians (3-0-0) will take on Mexico (2-1-0) in the other semifinal. The victors will advance to the 2003 Women's World Cup in China — and to the Gold Cup final Nov. 9 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif.
Atlanta Beat striker Charmaine Hooper scored her fifth and sixth goals of the tournament, the earlier on a penalty kick, and University of Portland All-American Christine Sinclair netted her Gold Cup-leading seventh goal for the Canadians, who dominated play but lacked the sharpness they'd shown in one-sided romps over Haiti and Jamaica.
Hooper converted a 28th-minute penalty kick after Silvana Burtini was taken down from behind in the box by Xiomara Briceno, then chipped home from 22 yards just before halftime after goalkeeper Marie Claire Herra — who had an otherwise outstanding match — was caught well off her line following a punt.
Sinclair redirected a corner kick into the net two minutes into the second half.
In Sunday's first game, Haiti got a pair of goals from Marie-Denise Gilles to beat Jamaica, 2-1, and finish third in Group 1.
CONCACAF WOMEN'S GOLD CUP
GROUP 1
Final Standings
United States 3-0-0 15-0 9
Mexico 2-1-0 7-4 6
Panama 1-2-0 5-16 3
Trin. & Tobago 0-3-0 2-9 0
GROUP 2
Nov. 3 at Victoria, British Columbia
Haiti 2 (Gilles 13, 56) Jamaica 1 (Sinclair 59)
Canada 3 (Hooper pen. 28, 42, Sinclair 47) Costa Rica 0
Final Standings
Canada 3-0-0 23-1 9
Costa Rica 2-1-0 7-3 6
Haiti 1-2-0 3-17 0
Jamaica 0-3-0 1-13 0
FINAL FOUR
Semifinals: Nov. 6 at Seattle, 7 and 9:30 p.m.
Canada vs. Mexico
United States vs. Costa Rica
(Winners qualify for 2003 Women's World Cup)
Nov. 9 at Pasadena, Calif.
Third-place game, 4:30 p.m.
(Winner advances to playoff with Asia No. 3 team for berth in 2003 WWC)
Championship, 7 p.m.
All times Pacific
GOALSCORERS
1. Christine Sinclair (Canada) 7
2. Charmaine Hooper (Canada) 6
Tiffeny Milbrett (USA) 6
4. Megan Chavez (Costa Rica) 4
Kara Lang (Canada) 4
6. Amarelis DeMera (Panama) 3
Shannon MacMillan (USA) 3
8. Silvana Burtini (Canada) 2
Shirley Cruz (Costa Rica) 2
Monica Gerardo (Mexico) 2
Marie-Denise Gilles (Haiti) 2
Monica Gonzalez (Mexico) 2
Cindy Parlow (USA) 2
14. Maylee Attin-Johnson (T&T) 1
Maritzenia Bedoya (Panama) 1
Xiomara Briceno (Costa Rica) 1
Candace Chapman (Canada) 1
Brandi Chastain (USA) 1
Maribel Dominguez (Mexico) 1
Randee Hermus (Canada) 1
Fatima Leyva (Mexico) 1
Kencia Marseille (Haiti) 1
Marlene Sandoval (Mexico) 1
Tasha St. Louis (T&T) 1
Geneva Sinclair (Jamaica) 1
Diana Valderrama (Panama) 1
Aly Wagner (USA) 1
Amy Walsh (Canada) 1
Abby Wambach (USA) 1