The U.S. women’s national team ran into a very game Mexico side in its CONCACAF W Championship group-stage finale, but a late Kristie Mewis goal was the difference in a 1-0 win that eliminated El Tri Femenil from both World Cup and Olympic contention.
The USWNT had already reached the semifinals and clinched a spot in the 2023 World Cup before Monday night’s game at Estadio Universitario, with the win seeing it top Group A and set a date against Costa Rica on Thursday in the semifinal.
The other semifinal will see Jamaica face Canada, with the Reggae Girlz clinching a spot at the World Cup on Monday with a 4-0 win over Haiti.
Mexico, meanwhile, suffered the ignominy of losing all three of its group-stage matches on home soil, failing to score a single goal in a crushing setback for a team that entered the tournament on a 10-game win streak.
Though Mexico produced a much-improved performance in front of 20,522 fans in Monterrey, it will miss out on a second straight World Cup and will be left to wonder why it was unable to roar into life until its final game against the world champions.
Mexico put in a defensively organized performance and had occasional moments of attacking danger, but a 73rd-minute red card for Jacqueline Ovalle after an ugly tackle on Rose Lavelle made the home side’s task even more difficult.
Mewis bundled the ball over the line in the 89th minute to seal three points in an uninspiring display for the USWNT, which failed to consistently threaten Mexico’s goal.
But Vlatko Andonovski will be happy that his side was given a real test in front of a hostile crowd as it eyes two more wins and an automatic place at the 2024 Olympics.
Watch the USWNT’s late winner
KRISTIE MEWIS IN THE 89TH MINUTE. 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/nWAXrE4bmq
— Attacking Third (@AttackingThird) July 12, 2022
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