US women clinch berth into Olympics

CARSON, Calif. — Samantha Mewis’ goal on a blistering free kick in the second half against Mexico left no doubt that the United States was on its way to the Olympics.

Mewis scored twice, and the U.S. national team secured its place in Tokyo this summer with a 4-0 semifinal victory Friday night in the CONCACAF women’s Olympic qualifying tournament.

“I hope so,” she said about her statement-making goal putting the U.S. firmly in control. “There were ups and downs in the game. I thought Mexico played really well. They did a great job and they were a hard team to beat.”

Rose Lavelle and Christen Press also scored for the United States, which extended its unbeaten streak to 27 games.

The United States will face Canada in the tournament’s title game Sunday.

Canada earned the region’s other Olympic berth with a 1-0 victory over surprisingly resilient Costa Rica in the earlier match Friday. Canada has finished as runner-up to the U.S. in the last three qualifying tournaments.

“Canada is always a really hard team,” Mewis said. “We obviously have a big rivalry with them and of course they’re playing well defensively — and offensively. So it’s going to be a tough game, but we’re excited for the challenge.

The top-ranked U.S. team is coming off a World Cup championship last summer in France.

It was the team’s fourth title in soccer’s premier tournament.

The United States has made the field for every Olympics since soccer became an Olympic sport in 1996 and has won the gold medal four times. But Sweden eliminated the Americans in the quarterfinals four years ago in Brazil for their earliest exit in the tournament.

“Coming into this game we had the same attitude as the game before and the game before,” U.S. coach Vlatko Andonovski said. “And that attitude is not going to change going forward. Every game we go into is going to be the most important, whether its a qualifying tournament or a friendly game or any game that we have in front of us.”