Goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher made three saves and converted a penalty herself in a shootout after a rain-soaked 2-2 draw with Canada.
Goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher made three saves and converted a penalty herself in a shootout after a rain-soaked 2-2 draw with Canada on Wednesday night, earning the United States a spot in the CONCACAF Women’s Gold Cup final.
The United States advanced 3-1 on penalties and will play Brazil in the title game on Sunday evening. Brazil defeated Mexico 3-0 in the earlier semifinal match.
The game was a sloppy mess with standing water on the field at San Diego’s Snapdragon Stadium from heavy rain in San Diego. The players had difficulty with control. Canada’s Vanessa Gilles twisted the front of her soaked jersey to squeeze out some of the rainwater.
CBS Sports reported the result could have gone either way with an unplayable surface. The field was already drenched in rain showers from the previous semifinal between Brazil and Mexico. On and off torrential downpours before, between, and during the semifinals left the grass in a soggy state and the ball with nowhere to go.
Afterward, U.S. coach Twila Kilgore was asked whether the game should have been played.
« Probably not. But those decisions aren’t my decisions, » she said.
