University of North Carolina forward Lindsay Tarpley's golden goal 19 minutes into overtime Sunday lifted the United States to the title at the first FIFA U-19 Women's World Championship with a thrilling 1-0 victory over host Canada.

Tarpley deposited a rebound of her own shot to end the stalemate and deliver the trophy to the Americans, who went unbeaten in the competition and outscored their opposition, 26-2.

It was a scintillating encounter played before 47,784 at Edmonton's Commonwealth Stadium. Both teams created myriad opportunities, and extra time was a product of stellar play by both goalkeepers — Florida high-schooler Ashlyn Harris for the United States and SMU sophomore Erin McLeod for Canada — and critical defensive plays on both sides.

''It was an incredible game,'' said U.S. head coach Tracey Leone, who was part of the U.S. squad that captured the first Women's World Cup title in 1991. ''Canada came out so organized, together and tough. And, of course, the crowd was amazing. It was a great opportunity for both teams to play in front of that kind of crowd.

''Canada came out fighting, and it was an incredible product to show the world. It was well played and end-to-end. We are always trying to sell and develop the women's game, and certainly this was a great advertisement for that.''

The goal was produced from a through ball by Santa Clara University's Leslie Osborne to Broncos teammate Megan Kakadelas. The pass split two Canadians at the top of the box, finding Kakadelas — who had entered the match four minutes earlier — to the left of the goal.

Kakadelas' pass into the goalmouth led to a scramble, and Tarpley's first shot caromed back to her off Canadian defender Melanie Booth. Presented with a virtually empty net, Tarpley fired to the left as McLeod leapt the other way.

''I really don't know what happened,'' Tarpley said. ''All I know is that all of sudden the ball popped in front of me. I saw the keeper moving to the near post, so I shot far post. Then we went crazy.''

North Carolina midfielder Lori Chalupny was the pivotal player for the Americans, who dodged several bullets as Canadian forwards Christine Sinclair (University of Portland) and Katie Thorlakson (Notre Dame) fed off service from Penn State's Carmelina Moscato.

Santa Clara's Jessica Ballweg, Tennessee's Keeley Dowling and North Carolina's Kendall Fletcher made critical defensive plays for the Yanks.

Dowling beat Moscato to a loose ball in front of an open U.S. net in the 55th minute after a fine Harris save on Thorlakson; Ballweg prevented Sinclair, winner of the tournament's Golden Ball (MVP) and Golden Boot (leading scorer, 10 goals), from getting off a point-blank shot in the 75th; and Fletcher outraced Sinclair to a dangerous through ball in the 84th.

Canada had two superb chances to win the game in the final two minutes of overtime, but Harris stopped Thorlakson's drive in the 89th minute, and Sinclair fired high from 7 yards in the 90th after maneuvering into a 1-on-1 situation from a Thorlakson toe-poke.

The triumph was marred by an apparent torn anterior cruciate ligament suffered by defender Rachel Buehler, a California high-schooler, in the 10th minute. She was hurt trying to kick a bouncing ball on the left sideline, with her plant knee twisting as she turned. The injury is expected to be confirmed once she returns to San Diego.

Buehler, who was replaced by Ballweg in the 13th minute, would be the third U.S. player to sustain a torn ACL in the past month. Notre Dame-bound midfielder Annie Schefter was hurt in a pickup game before the tournament and was replaced on the roster by forward Kerri Hanks, a Texas high-schooler. North Carolina-bound defender Amy Steadman tore an ACL in the Americans' tournament opener against England and was replaced on the roster by Arizona State midfielder Stephanie Ebner.

Kelly Wilson earned the Silver Boot with nine goals and Bronze Ball as the third-best player in the tournament. Tarpley, who scored six goals, won the Bronze Boot.

FIFA U-19 WOMEN'S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
Final
Sept. 1 in Edmonton

Canada 0 United States 1 (OT). Goal: Tarpley 109.

United States — Harris; Fletcher, Dowling, Oakes, Buehler (Ballweg, 13); Makoski (Woznuk, 59; Kakadelas, 105), Osborne, Chalupny; O'Reilly, Tarpley, Wilson.

Canada — McLeod; Andrews, Rustad, Booth; Vermeulen, Chapman, Lang (Gayle, 74), Timko, Moscato; Thorlakson, Sinclair.

Yellow card — Canada: Gayle 106.

Referee — Dianne Ferreira-James (Guyana). A — 47,784.

Third place

Germany 1 (Bachor 49) Brazil 1 (Cristiane 33).
(Germany wins on penalty kicks, 4-3)

AWARDS

Golden Ball: Christine Sinclair (Canada)
Silver Ball: Marta (Brazil)
Bronze Ball: Kelly Wilson (U.S.)

Golden Boot: Christine Sinclair (Canada)
Silver Boot: Kelly Wilson (U.S.)
Bronze Boot: Lindsay Tarpley (U.S.)

LEADING SCORERS

10 — Christine Sinclair (Canada).
9 — Kelly Wilson (U.S.).
6 — Marta (Brazil), Lindsay Tarpley (U.S.).
4 — Heather O'Reilly (U.S.).
3 — Linda Bresonik (Germany), Hayley Crawford (Australia), Daniela (Brazil), Kelly (Brazil), Kara Lang (Canada), Anja Mittag (Germany), Shinobu Ohno (Japan), Johanna Rasmussen (Denmark), Katy Ward (England), Guadalupe Worbis (Mexico).