US down Panama 8-0 in Olympic qualifying tournament
HOUSTON, Feb 1, (AP): Lindsey Horan scored three goals and the US national team downed Panama 8-0 on Friday night in the the group stage of the CONCACAF Women’s Olympic Qualifying tournament.
Panama goalkeeper Yenith Bailey got tangled up with one of her own players and Horan took advantage, scoring in the third minute to give the World Cup-winning Americans the early lead.
Moments later, Bailey knocked heads with Jessica McDonald and spent several moments on the ground. But ultimately Panama’s captain stayed in the game.
Some two minutes after Lynn Williams’ goal in the 16th minute, Horan scored her second of the game. Rose Lavelle got her first goal since the World Cup final to make it 4-0 in the 21st.
Bailey was stretchered off in the 32nd minute. It was unclear if it was because of the earlier collision.
Christen Press scored her third goal in as many games in the 70th minute before McDonald’s goal in the 72nd to make it 6-0. Tobin Heath, who came in as a substitute, added a no-look goal and Horan capped the scoring by completing her hat trick in the 81st.
The crowd at Houston’s BBVA Compass Stadium was announced at 14,121.
The top-ranked US team also defeated Haiti 4-0 in the group stage opener on Tuesday night. The Americans face Costa Rica in their group final on Monday.
Costa Rica down Haiti 2-0 earlier Friday at for its second win in the group.
Six teams have already made the field for Tokyo: Japan, Brazil, Great
Britain, the Netherlands, Sweden and New Zealand.
Raquel Rodriguez scored twice and Costa Rica defeated Haiti 2-0 in group play Friday at the CONCACAF Women’s Olympic Qualifying tournament.
Rodriguez, who was traded in the offseason to the Portland Thorns of the National Women’s Soccer League, scored on a header in the 57th minute after a scoreless first half. She added her second in the 66th.
Costa Rica opened the tournament on Tuesday with a 6-1 victory over Panama. The two wins put Las Ticas in good position for a berth in the semifinals.
Haiti fell 4-0 to the World Cupwinning US national team in its group opener, but goalkeeper Kerly Theus was impressive with six saves against the Americans. midtable Hoffenheim, but on Saturday Leverkusen lost 2-1 after surrendering the lead.
That result makes the positions of the top four - Bayern, Leipzig, Dortmund and Gladbach - more secure in the Champions League spots, especially after sixth-place Schalke drew 0-0 at Hertha Berlin on Friday.
Elsewhere, Werder Bremen stayed in the relegation playoff spot in 16th after a 2-1 loss to Augsburg. Fresh off beating Leipzig last week, Eintracht Frankfurt drew 1-1 with relegationthreatened Fortuna Düsseldorf.