thebahamasweekly.com - Canada and USA women's soccer teams make it into the London Olympics

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Sports
Canada and USA women's soccer teams make it into the London Olympics
By The Bahamas Weekly News Team
Feb 2, 2012 - 3:01:29 PM

Team USA and Canada parade onto the field behind officials pre-game, January 29th, 2012. The game ended 4 - 0 for USA. Photo: Sebastian Calderone

Vancouver, BC, CANADA - Both Team USA and Team Canada have made it into the London Olympics games to be held this summer from July 27th through August 12th.

Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) is the continental governing body for association football in North America, Central America and the Caribbean held their qualifying tournament over the past ten days in Vancouver.

Representing countries were broken up in to two groups: Group A featured C anada, Costa Rica, Cuba and Haiti while Group B featured USA, Mexico, Guatemala and Dominican Republic.

Both Canada and USA won in their groups and played a championship match on January 29th closing out the tournament with a win for USA over Canada, 4 - 0. Two goals each were score by Abby Wambach and Alex Morgan of the USA. The match proved that Canada has their work cut out for them over the coming months, and the last time they beat the USA was in 2001 with a 3-0 win in the Algarve Cup in Portugal. The U.S. have taken gold in the women's Olympic soccer in 1996, 2004 and 2008 and are hoping to reclaim top spot this year.

Although the diehard Canadian fans never stopped cheering for their team, team captain Christine Sinclair had few if any opportunities to put it in the back of the net as Canada struggled during the entire game. An attendance record was broken for a CONCACAF game with a total 25, 427 fans in the crowd, most who stayed on for the medal ceremony accompanied by fireworks and streamers for a celebratory finish of the tournament.

Semi-final matches were played two days earlier with Canada beating Mexico 3 -1with goals scored by Veronica Perz for Mexico and Christine Sinclair with two goals and Melisa Tancredi with one for Canada. USA beat Costa Rica in a 3 - 0 shutout in their semi-final with goals scored by Tobin Heath, Carli Lloyd, Alex Morgan.

Photos for TheBahamasWeekly.com by Sebastian Calderone / P Vincent Photography

CONCACAF 2012 Champions, Team USA Photo: Sebastian Calderone

CONCACAF Women's Soccer Final match 2012 highlights. Photos by Sebastian Calderone

Team Canada 2012 will represent their country at this year's Olympics! Photo: Sebastian Calderone

Pleasing the fans! BC Place Stadium sold out with over 25,427 fans for the USA - Canada match - a CONCACAF attendance record. Thanks from CONCACAF went out to the BC Soccer Associations who supported the tournament Photo: Sebastian Calderone

SEMI FINAL (January 27, 2102): CANADA vs MEXICO photo highlights

SEMI FINAL (January 27, 2102): CANADA vs MEXICO photo highlights by Sebastian Calderone [1 goal scored by Veronica Perz for Mexico and Christine Sinclair with two goals and Melisa Tancredi with one for Canada]

SEMI FINAL (January 27, 2102): USA vs COSTA RICA photo highlights

SEMI FINAL (January 27, 2102): USA vs COSTA RICA photo highlights by Sebastian Calderone [USA beat Costa Rica in a 3 - 0 shutout in their semi-final with goals scored by Tobin Heath, Carli Lloyd, Alex Morgan.]