March 15, 2010

SEMIFINAL BOUND
U.S. women roll again at CONCACAF U-17s

ALAJUELA, Costa Rica -- The U.S. Under-17 Women’s National Team recorded its third consecutive blowout victory at the CONCACAF U-17 Women’s Championship, defeating host Costa Rica, 10-0, to take first place in Group A Sunday.

The Americans scored five goals in each half as forward Taylor Smith recorded a hat-trick, Lindsey Horan and Morgan Brian had two goals each and Alex Doll, Kaili Torres and Jennifer Gonzalez tallied single scores.

The United States had already qualified for the semifinals after dominating victories in the first two group games and will face the second place team from Group B – either Mexico or Canada – in the one of the semifinal matches on Thursday. The winners of the two semifinals will earn berths to the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Trinidad & Tobago later this year.

The USA will have to wait until the completion of Group B action Monday to find out its semifinal opponent and if it will play in the first semifinal at 5 p.m. CT (4 p.m. local) or the second at 8 p.m. CT (7 p.m. local). Costa Rica finished second in Group A and will play the first place team from Group B in the semis.

The Costa Rican fans serenaded their players with “Si Se Puede” at the beginning of the match, but it didn’t take long for it to become clear that the Americans were of a different level.

The U.S. started out playing at a blistering pace, but the lights went out in the 10th minute – literally – as three of the four banks in the stadium went dark, forcing a 30-minute delay.

Once play resumed, it only took the U.S. only about 45 seconds to open the scoring and it came courtesy Smith.

The goal came after Horan put Cari Roccaro (Albertson Fury) free down right side and she crossed from almost flush on the sideline to the far post. Alex Doll got to the ball and first-timed it back into the middle, where Smith re-directed the bouncing ball with her head into the right corner.

Roccaro played the first 45 minutes as she was replaced by Torres at halftime.

Costa Rica was under tremendous pressure and four minutes later a clearance fell to Olivia Brannon on right wing about 20 yards in front of midfield. She settled and smacked a cross into the middle of the penalty area where Smith beat the offside trap. In alone, she brought the ball down and struck a half-volley past the Costa Rican goalkeeper Fabiola Murillo from nine yards.

Three minutes after that, Kaysie Clark, who played an excellent match at attacking midfield, picked up the first of four assists on the night. She beat a defender on the sprint in the right side of the box, took it almost all the way to the end line and rolled a cross through the six-yard box for Doll to finish from close range.

The fourth goal came from a well-struck direct free kick by Brian after Horan was taken down just outside the penalty area, just left of the penalty arc. Brian bent her shot over the wall, off the hands of the goalkeeper and into the left side of the net.

The fifth and final goal of the half came after Brian pounded a shot at Murillo, but she could only push it away to the right. Horan was first to the rebound and turned an excellent half-volley on goal just inside the right side of the six-yard box, pounding her shot into the roof of the net.