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Exhibition upset Canada records second-ever win against U.S. women
Updated: Saturday November 11, 2000 9:37 PM
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) -- The gap between the U.S. women's soccer team and the rest of the world is now officially closed. U.S. coach April Heinrichs says so. "We saw it in the Olympics and we saw it throughout the course of the year," Heinrichs said after Canada upset the United States 3-1 Saturday in an exhibition game. "Our motivation was to never let Canada think they can beat us and we let that slip away." Charmaine Hooper had a goal and an assist in a three-minute span and Nicci Wright made 14 saves as Canada proved it can play with the reigning World Cup champions and silver medalists at the Sydney Olympics. Canada only sent four shots on goal, but three of those went it. The United States, by contrast, had 29 shots at the net. "I had a couple of saves early in the game that got me into it and the team played great in front of me," Wright said. Canada had lost 21 consecutive matches to the Americans, including three this year, before a 1-1 draw in Kansas City, Mo., on Aug. 20 broke the streak. The United States is 22-2-1 against Canada and has outscored them 100-16. "Nobody knows more about losing to the United States that we do," Hooper said. "It has been nothing but bad memories since I started in 1986, but our team is getting better every day and that is great motivation for me." The Canadians went up 2-0 in the 21st minute, after a ball U.S. defender Christie Pearce tried to clear hit the back of another defender and bounced to Hooper, who slipped a low shot past Siri Mullinix and inside the right post. Three minutes earlier, Hooper stole the ball at midfield, dribbled around defender Kate Sobrero, and passed to Christine Sinclair, who scored from 18 yards. Hooper has played against the United States 20 times and scored six of Canada's 15 goals in those games. Hooper was drafted by the Atlanta franchise of the new Women's United Soccer Association (WUSA). The Americans' lone goal came when Tiffeny Milbrett made it 2-1 in the 35th minute on a penalty shot. Sharolta Nonen was called for a hard tackle on Mia Hamm inside the penalty area. Canada's new head coach, Even Pellerud, is one of only three coaches to win the women's World Cup, having led Norway to the 1995 title. "This is our most consistent performance all year, and with four starters out we did really well," said Pellerud, who has a 10-7-1 record since taking over Canada's team in November 1999. The Canadians were without several regulars because they were with their college teams. Pellerud says the women's game is getting better around the globe. "There are now eight or nine countries with really good women's teams," he said. Canada's Silvana Burtini put the game out of reach, at 3-1 with eight minutes left, off an assist from Marie-Claude Dion. The game was the first of a three-game "Glory Tour" for the United States. The tour could mark the final few times the core group that won the last World Cup plays together internationally. Carla Overbeck, who has played 166 times for the United States, is expected to retire from the national team, although she will play in the WUSA with the North Carolina Tempest. The WUSA, an eight-team pro league, begins play in April.
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