The U.S. Women’s National Team held nothing back in closing out the 2014 CONCACAF Women’s Championship. FIFA Women’s World Player of the Year nominee Abby Wambach recorded a first-half hat trick and four goals in all, and the USA rolled to a 6-0 victory against Costa Rica in the title match before 11,625 spectators at PPL Park.
Carli Lloyd added a first-half goal to up her total to five goals in five tournament matches, and Sydney Leroux tallied her first goal of the competition in the second half.
Wambach recorded the eighth hat trick of her international career, and the all-time goal scoring leader now has 177 goals in 228 matches. With her fourth goal, Wambach broke the U.S. WNT record with her 18th goal in World Cup qualifying matches, surpassing the mark of 17 set by Michelle Akers.
Wambach scored seven goals in four games at the CONCACAF Women’s Championship to earn the Golden Boot. Lloyd won the Golden Ball as the tournament’s top player; and in addition to her five goals, Lloyd contributed four assists. Hope Solo was the Golden Glove winner, posting four shutouts.
As a team, the U.S. outscored its opposition 21-0 in the tournament.
The USA won the CONCACAF Women’s Championship for the fifth time. The WNT previously won the tournament in 1991, 1994, 2002 and 2006. The USA did not participate in the 1998 event because the team was already entered in the 1999 FIFA Women’s World Cup at the host nation.
As finalists, the U.S. and Costa Rica had already qualified for the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Canada. It will mark the USA’s seventh consecutive appearance in the Women’s World Cup, while Costa Rica is making its first appearance.
Earlier in the day, Mexico defeated Trinidad & Tobago 4-2 in overtime to win the third-place game and automatic qualification to the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup. Mexico is the 21st team to qualify.
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