VIDEO: SOCCER HIGHLIGHTS | WOMEN’S WORLD CUP QUALIFYING GAMES | CANADA WINS CONCACAF TITLE

Team captain Sinclair guides Canadian women to CONCACAF crown

Christine Sinclair

(watch Christine Sinclair’s post match interview)

Win over Mexico propels Canadians to their 2nd championship.

The victory delivered Canada its first CONCACAF championship since 1998, when it also beat Mexico in the final. CONCACAF is the soccer confederation covering North and Central America and the Caribbean.

Canada and Mexico had already claimed automatic berths for the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup by reaching the finals of the CONCACAF tournament, but continental bragging rights were still on the line in Monday’s match.

************************************************************************************************************************
Highlights U.S. v Costa Rica Third Place Match

Abby Wambach scored a goal in each half and the United States defeated Costa Rica 3-0 on Monday to earn a two-leg playoff with Italy for a berth in next year’s Women’s World Cup.

The result sends the Americans to a November 20 meeting against Italy in Padova, and a home match a week later in the Chicago suburb of Bridgeview.

Team USA, the reigning Olympic champion is seeking to join Canada and Mexico and reach Germany next summer, keeping its streak of playing in a sixth Women’s World Cup, which it has won twice.

Watch Abby Wambach’s post match interview

************************************************************************************************************************

Finals Preview

CONCACAF Women’s World Cup Qualifying Finals preview, looking at the third-place and championship games taking place on Nov. 8, 2010.

Team USA will face Costa Rica for third place in this CONCACAF finals games.  Canada will face off against the host country Mexico.
**********************************************************************************************************************
MEXICO SURPRISES TEAM USA, CANADA DEFEATS COSTA RICA

Mexico upset the United States for the first time in 26 tries, earning a trip to the Women’s World Cup with a 2-1 victory over its northern neighbor on Friday.

The result sends Mexico against Canada on Monday in the final of the CONCACAF Women’s World Cup Qualifying and pits the United States against Costa Rica in the third-place match. The winner of the consolation game will have a second chance at a World Cup berth, facing Italy – the fifth-place finisher from Europe – for another spot.

Mexico and Canada meet in the final of the competition, both with World Cup spots to celebrate.

**************************************************************************************************************

CANADA DEFEATS COSTA RICA

DOWN TO FINAL FOUR IN WOMEN’S WORLD CUP QUALIFYING GAMES | TEAM USA TO FACE MEXICO

CONCACAF Women’s World Cup Qualifying preview looking at the Semifinal matches in the tournament for Friday, Nov. 5, 2010

Team Canada Celebrates!!

CONCACAF Women’s World Cup Qualifying game highlights from Monday’s match between the U.S. and Costa Rica on Nov. 1, 2010.

Costa Rica will face the Group A winner in the other semifinal. Semifinal winners will qualify for next year’s Women’s World Cup in Germany while the losers will face off in the third-place game. The winner of the consolation match will have a second chance to qualify for Germany, entering a two-leg playoff with the fifth-place team from Europe for another berth.

Both the United States and Costa Rica already were assured of semifinal berths and faced off for semifinal seeding.

**************************************************************************************************************
CONCACAF Women’s World Cup Qualifying game highlights from Monday’s match between Guatemala and Haiti on Nov. 1, 2010.

10.31.10 Women’s World Cup Qualifying Highlights Mexico v Trinidad & Tobago

CONCACAF Women’s World Cup Qualifying game highlights from Sunday’s match between Canada and Guyana on Oct. 31, 2010

US WOMEN CRUISE PAST GUATEMALA IN WORLD CUP QUALIFYING GAME

CANCUN, Mexico — Amy Rodriguez scored three goals and Abby Wambach added another two to power the United States into the semifinals of the CONCACAF Women’s World Cup Qualifying with a 9-0 victory over Guatemala on Saturday.

Amy Rodriguez

Amy Rodriguez, Abby Wambach and Megan Rapinoe

Rodriguez, Megan Rapinoe and Abby Wambach each scored two goals in the first half, with Rodriguez adding another after halftime, while Alex Morgan and Carli Lloyd also scored after the break as the U.S. women secured a place in the semifinals of the competition with the win and will close out Group B play on Monday against Costa Rica.