Canadians lose CONCACAF W title to U.S.

— Alex Morgan’s 78th-minute penalty gave the U.S. a 1-0 win over Canada in the CONCACAF W Championship final Monday, sending the Americans to the 2024 Paris Olympics.

The final marked the first meeting between the two North American powers since Aug. 2, 2021, when Canada won 1-0 on a 75th-minute Jessie Fleming penalty in the Tokyo Olympics semifinal. The Canadian women went on to claim gold in a penalty shootout win over Sweden while the Americans settled for bronze after beating Australia.

This time the U.S. got the penalty.

American pressure paid off in the second half when Mexican referee Katia Garcia pointed to the penalty spot after Rose Lavelle went down after contact from substitute Allysha Chapman. Morgan stepped up and beat Kailen Sheridan for her 118th international goal.

As CONCACAF champion, the Americans qualify for both the Olympics and inaugural CONCACAF W Gold Cup, also scheduled for 2024.

Olympic champion Canada can still get to Paris but will have to dispatch No. 51 Jamaica in a CONCACAF Olympic play-in series, scheduled for September 2023, with the winner booking their ticket to the Olympics and Gold Cup. The Canadians blanked Jamaica 3-0 in the CONCACAF semifinal.

Substitute Kiki Van Zanten’s 102nd-minute goal gave Jamaica a 1-0 victory over No. 37 Costa Rica in the third-place game earlier Monday at Estadio BBVA.

All four CONCACAF W semifinalists have already booked their ticket to the 2023 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand by virtue of making the tournament final four. No. 60 Haiti and No. 57 Panama, who placed third in their respective groups, move on to a World Cup intercontinental playoff.

The top-ranked U.S. had the better chances in the first half and had slightly more possession than sixth-ranked Canada but could not beat goalkeeper Sheridan and the teams went into the break scoreless.

The Americans picked up the pace in the second half, continuing to be dangerous on the counterattack after winning the ball back. The Canadians found themselves under the gun for stretches.

After going down, the Canadians found renewed energy and came at the Americans, but could not breach the U.S. defence through six minutes of stoppage time.

The U.S. improved to 52-4-7 record against the Canadians — 9-0-1 in World Cup and Olympic qualifying.