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U.S. Women's soccer may not qualify for World Cup
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By Associated Press
November 7, 2010
CANCUN, Mexico — The United States is in danger of missing the Women’s World Cup for the first time after one of the biggest upsets in the sport’s history, a 2-1 defeat by Mexico in Cancún on Friday night in the semifinals of qualifying in the North and Central American and Caribbean region.
The United States, the 1991 and 1999 champion and the defending Olympic gold medalist, must beat Costa Rica on Monday in the region’s third-place playoff, then win a home-and-home, total-goals playoff with Italy, the No. 5 team in European qualifying, to reach the World Cup, which will be played next summer in Germany.
The first leg is in Italy on Nov. 20 and the second in Bridgeview, Ill., on Nov. 27.
“I don’t feel good right now, but there is another game,” United States Coach Pia Sundhage said. “I told the team that as long as there is a chance to go to the World Cup, we will take that.”
Mexico had been 0-24-1 against the United States.
Maribel Dominguez scored in the third minute for Mexico. Carli Lloyd tied the score with a goal in the 25th minute after a poor punch by goalkeeper Erika Venegas on Megan Rapinoe’s corner kick. But Veronica Pérez beat the United States goalkeeper Nicole Barnhart with a header in the 27th minute to send Mexico to the World Cup.
“I think Mexico made us look not so good today,” Sundhage said. “They are a very technical team. We tried hard, but we weren’t lucky and Mexico had a good goalkeeper. We couldn’t put away the chances we created, and if you can’t do that, you won’t win.”
The top-ranked United States outshot Mexico, 17-8.
The Americans outscored opponents, 18-0, in the first round and had beaten Mexico in all four previous meetings in qualifiers by a combined 26-0.
Since the 2007 World Cup, the Americans had a record of 54-1-6.
In the first semifinal, Canada qualified for the fifth straight time, beating Costa Rica, 4-0.
COLORADO ADVANCES
Columbus was eliminated from the Major League Soccer playoffs on Saturday when visiting Colorado won, 2-1, in a shootout. Colorado, which had defeated Columbus, 1-0, on Oct. 28, will play San Jose in one semifinal.
F.C. Dallas eliminated the defending M.L.S. Cup champion Real Salt Lake with a 1-1 tie and will face the winner of Los Angeles versus Seattle in the other semifinal.
MUSICAL ACCOMPANIMENT
The Dec. 4 Bundesliga showdown between rivals Schalke 04 and Bayern Munich, the defending champion, will be televised with an added twist: an improvisational opera group will sing along. Viewers on the German sports channel Sky will have the option of hearing the group La Traviata sing along to the live action and, through the use of split-screen, watching the singers perform.
PARK LIFTS UNITED
Park Ji-sung scored during stoppage time for his second goal of the game and Manchester United beat Wolverhampton, 2-1, for its third consecutive Premier League victory. It was midfielder Park’s first goals of the league season. United midfielder Owen Hargreaves limped off with a hamstring injury just five minutes into his first start in two injury-plagued years.
Tottenham lost, 4-2, at Bolton, failing to build on Tuesday’s impressive 3-1 victory against Inter Milan. (AP)
F.C. UNITED ADVANCES IN F.A. CUP
The team formed by disenchanted Manchester United fans could be a game away from facing the club they rebelled against after it was bought by the American businessman Malcolm Glazer. F.C. United reached the second round of the F.A. Cup with a 3-2 victory over Rochdale. (AP)
• Soccer, World Cup News Archive Index
2010, 2009
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