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U.S. women Hooper, Burtini help Canada snap long winless streak with 3-1 triumph over Americans.COLUMBUS, Ohio (Saturday, November 11, 2000) -- The United States dominated the action and averaged a shot every three minutes. It was Canada, however, getting a goal and assist from Charmaine Hooper, that took the victory 3-1 over the Americans before 8,569 chilly fans at Columbus Crew Stadium this afternoon. The U.S. saw its 22-match U.S. unbeaten streak against Canada after holding a 21-0-1 edge July 9, 1986, when Canada last defeated the United States, 2-1, in Blaine, Minn. That was the only other time Canada beat the U.S. The United States and Canada drew 1-1 on August 20 in their most recent meeting in Kansas City, Mo in their most recent meeting before tonight. This was the fifth meeting between the two teams this year alone. Canada scored on its first two shots, saw the ejection of its head coach Even Pellerud in the second half, benefited from a spectacular game from goalkeeper Nicci Wright and weathered numerous close calls on U.S. shots. "You think about it a bit that we've lost so many games to the U.S.," said Wright, who was at the receiving end of a 9-1 thrashing last June at Pacific Cup in Australia. "But we felt after getting a good result in Kansas City that it was something to build on, and that maybe winning a game was possible." The U.S., 25-6-8 in 2000, was playing its first match since losing to Norway in the Summer Olympics gold-medal match September 28, and while the effort was certainly not lacking, the polish was. Shannon MacMillan had two early chances, but skied one over the top and then topped the next shot, bouncing the ball to the diving Wright. The Americans defensive marking was also lacking. Canada struck for two quick goals just two minutes apart in the 19th and 21st minutes. The first came when Hooper penetrated up the middle on a solo run. U.S. defender Kate Sobrero did well to delay her, forcing her inside, but she slipped a nifty pass to 17-year-old Christine Sinclair, open just inside the penalty area despite being in the vicinity of five U.S. players. With her back to the goal, Sinclair took a touch to the left and turned to crack a shot into the upper left corner from 20 yards. Two minutes after Sinclair's rocket, U.S. defender Christie Pearce tried to clear a ball from the top of the box, but the ball hit Joy Fawcett and bounced back toward the U.S. goal. Hooper, who was the catalyst to all of Canada's dangerous chances, scooped up the gift, dribbled in on goalkeeper Siri Mullinix and rolled her shot into the lower left corner to make it 2-0. After letting in three scores on just three shots on goal in the Olympic final, Canada's two scores made for five consecutive shots on goal that had found the U.S. net. "I think you can declare the gap between the United States and the rest of the teams in the world officially closed," U.S. head coach April Heinrichs said. "We saw it in the Olympics and we've seen it throughout the year, and we saw what a team like Canada can do if we don't play our best, don't finish our chances and don't come totally committed. Having none of our players playing 90 minutes of outdoor soccer for the last six weeks definitely was a factor in us struggling tonight." U.S. midfielder Lorrie Fair put striker Tiffeny Milbrett through into the box in the 30th minute, but Wright was quicker to the skidding ball and came out to make a sliding save. One minute later, Wright made a point-blank save of a shot that Kristine Lilly tried to redirect. In the 32nd minute, Fair ran onto a chipped pass from a forward Mia Hamm free kick, but with only Wright to beat, popped the ball over the goal. The U.S. pressure finally paid off in the 34th minute when Hamm ran at Sharolta Nonen in the left side of the box. Hamm cut in, then out, beating Nonen to the outside before the Canadian defender hit her high and knocked her over. Milbrett stepped up to take the ensuing penalty kick and coolly rolled her shot into the left corner for her 83rd career goal to make it 2-1, tying German legend Heidi Mohr for sixth on the all-time women's world scoring list. Canada ran hard the entire match, playing organized defense and putting pressure on the U.S. team all over the field, but that didn't stop the Americans from outshooting them 29-9, including 15-4 in shots on goal. Just before halftime, a great series of one-touch passes put MacMillan free 16 yards straight in front of goal, but she spun her shot over the top. Just seconds later, MacMillan launched a cross from the right flank as Hamm slashed through the middle, but she put her header over the top. U.S. defender Brandi Chastain knocked heads with an opponent and was forced to leave the game in the 56th minute with a gash over her right eye that required eight stitches. In the 68th minute, Milbrett put Hamm behind the defense in a race with Canada's Marie-Claude Dion, but her contested shot was saved by Wright. Two minutes later, Hamm burst free down the right flank and crossed back to Milbrett, who collected, then spun around a defender, but slammed her shot directly at Wright. In the 71st minute. Hamm worked herself loose from several defenders inside the penalty box and drilled a shot at the front post from a stiff angle, but Wright was there once again to push the ball away for a corner kick. In the 63rd minute, Pellerud was ejected after running onto the field of play to protest a foul call on one of his players. It turned out that Canada didn't need him, getting a clinching goal in the 82nd minute through Silvana Burtini. Kristina Kiss took a free kick from the right side of the field that flew over the U.S. restraining line to the far post. Burtini sneaked in behind her defender as the ball bounced up off the turf and sent a header back across the goal, tucking it into the lower right corner to clinch things at 3-1. "I told my team back in May that I thought we could beat the United States, but I didn't think it would be tonight,"
said Pellerud, who led Norway to the 1995 Women's World Cup title. "I thought it could be anywhere from a 0-0 tie to a
7-0 loss, but it was an unbelievable performance and a wonderful result."
Canada 3, United States 1
Lineups: United States - Siri Mullinix, Christie Pearce, Joy Fawcett, Kate Sobrero (Carla Overbeck 75),
Brandi Chastain (Cindy Parlow 56), Kristine Lilly, Julie Foudy, Lorrie Fair (Nikki Serlenga 66), Shannon MacMillan
(Sara Whalen 85), Tiffeny Milbrett, Mia Hamm.
Canada - Nicci Wright, Kristina Kiss, Sharolta Nonen, Isabelle Morneau, Marie-Claude Dion, Andrea Neil
(Kim Warner 73), Amy Walsh, Katie Lee (Clare Rustad 9), Christine Sinclair (Katherine Warman 89), Silvana Burtini,
Charmaine Hooper.
Scoring:
Shots: United States 29, Canada 9.
Saves: United States 1, Canada 14.
Corner kicks: United States 11, Canada 3.
Fouls: Unied States 18, Canada 4
Offside: United States 8, Canada 1.
Yellow card caution: Hooper 63.
Referee: Kari Seitz (United States).
Assistant referees: Sharon Wheeler (United States), Karalee Sutton (United States).
Attendance: 8,569 at Columbus (Ohio) Crew Stadium.
Weather: Cold, 45 degrees.
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