U.S. women top Canada for CONCACAF title

FRISCO, TEXAS >> Rose Lavelle and Alex Morgan each scored and the U.S. women beat rival Canada 2-0 Wednesday night in the championship match of the CONCACAF World Cup qualifying tournament.

The United States improved to 16-0-2 in 2018. The team has gone undefeated in 26 matches (23-0-3) dating to last year.

Both teams had already secured spots in next year’s World Cup in France with victories in the semifinals. CONCACAF sends the top three finishers in the tournament to the World Cup.

Jamaica earned a trip to France on penalties after a 2-2 draw with Panama in the third-place match at Toyoda Stadium earlier on Wednesday. Panama will still have a chance to qualify for France with a two-leg playoff against Argentina next month.

It will be Jamaica’s first trip to the World Cup, and the island nation is the first team from the Caribbean to earn a spot.

The United States, the top-ranked team in the world, is the defending World Cup champion. The Americans beat Japan in the 2015 World Cup final in Canada.

Lavelle’s left-footed goal from distance came less than two minutes into the match. It was the sixth of her career, and third of the tournament.

The game between the two rivals was tense from the start, and Tobin Heath was handed a yellow card after exchanging words and pushes with Canadian defender Allysha Chapman.

Morgan collided with Canadian goalkeeper Stephanie Labbe on a good U.S. chance in the 61st minute.

Morgan recovered to take a shot that was diverted away by Shelina Zadorsky.

Morgan was just wide on another effort in the 80th minute, but finally broke through with her goal in the 89th. She has 24 goals in her last 24 games.

Morgan was the top scorer of the tournament with seven total goals.

The match was played in steady rain and temperatures in the 50s. Attendance was announced as 6,986.

Canada, ranked fifth in the world, has seen its profile raised in recent years with back-to-back bronze medals at the Olympics. The two teams met in an epic semifinal match at the 2012 London Games, with the United States coming out on top 4-3 in overtime.

RICHARD W. RODRIGUEZ — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS USA forward Megan Rapinoe, left, and Canada’s Kadeisha Buchanan battle for the ball in the first half of the finals of the CONCACAF Women’s Championship Wednesday in Frisco, Texas. The U.S. won, 2-0.