Kai, US Trick Canada

Hat Trick Propels Americans

May 11, 2008

WASHNGTON, D.C. – Forward Natasha Kai scored her first career hat trick and the United States women’s soccer team beat Canada, 6-0, Saturday in a rematch of last month’s CONCACAF Championship.

Lindsay Tarpley, Carli Lloyd and Leslie Osborne also added goals in what was a dominating performance in a game that was nothing like the April 12 meeting between these two countries in the championship game of the CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying Tournament. That game was won by the USA in penalty kicks and didn’t see its first goal until overtime in the 107th minute, followed by an equalizer from Canada with just four minutes left.

The first goal came in the 23rd minute when forward Abby Wambach controlled a ball at the top of the penalty box on the left side with her back to the goal. She played a short square pass into the path of the sprinting Tarpley who hammered her first-time shot on a line just inside the right post to give the USA a well-deserved 1-0 lead.

Natasha Kai

Natasha Kai scored her first career hat trick Saturday. (CHRIS ADUAMA/ aduama.com)

“I’m thrilled,” said U.S. coach Pia Sundhage. “We talked about changing up the rhythm in the attack. My dream is to take this game to the next level and I think we can do it. We’re halfway there. The way we played today, there were so many good things I could stand here for an hour just talking about how good it was. And still it could be better.”

The second half barrage started in the 54th minute as Lloyd looped a high ball into the penalty box that at first didn’t look dangerous. Kai positioned herself under the falling sphere and snapped off a header that surprised Canadian goalkeeper Erin McLeod, hitting off her leg and into the net to make it 2-0.

The USA’s third goal came just six minutes later when the ball was played to Shannon Boxx on the right wing and she swung a perfect spinning cross into the penalty area that was met by Kai just inside the six-yard box. The Hawaiian got a good piece of the ball and powered a header past McLeod to make it 3-0.

The fourth goal, and third in a nine-minute span, came as the USA burst through Canada’s restraining line with a perfectly-timed pass from Wambach that sprung Lloyd on a breakaway. The attacking midfielder made a great run from behind and then out-ran Canada’s defense to the top of the penalty box. She took a touch to her right to elude McLeod and slotted the ball into the open net as she tumbled to the ground.

On Kai’s third goal, it was Wambach who played a perfectly-weighted ball behind the Canadian backs to give Kai and open look at goal and she drew McLeod out of her goal before poking a slow roller into the lower right corner from 10 yards out. The game was capped by the third-career goal from midfielder Leslie Osborne, who came into the match in the 70th minute. Forward Amy Rodriguez, herself a 76th minute sub, blew by a defender in the right side of the penalty box and turned the corner before slipping a short pass into the seam that Osborne slammed into the goal from 10 yards out. It was Osborne’s first goal since Nov. 26, 2006, when she scored against Canada in the championship game of the 2007 Women’s World Cup qualifying tournament.

The U.S. women, who has been on the road since April 21 will now go on a break before regrouping in Los Angeles for a two-week training camp in California June 19. Following that camp, the USA will have a week break before heading to the Peace Queen Cup in South Korea where it will face Australia, Brazil and Italy in first-round play.

U.S. WOMEN'S NATIONAL TEAM GAME REPORT:

Scoring Summary:
USA – Lindsey Tarpley (Abby Wambach) 23rd
USA – Natasha Kai (Carli Lloyd) 54th
USA – Natasha Kai (Heather Mitts) 60th
USA – Carli Lloyd (Abby Wambach) 63rd
USA – Natasha Kai (Abby Wambach) 75th
USA – Leslie Osborne (Amy Rodriguez) 87th

Lineups:
USA: 18-Hope Solo; 17-Lori Chalupny, 3-Christie Rampone – Capt., 15-Kate Markgraf, 2-Heather Mitts; 9-Heather O’Reilly (16-Angela Hucles, 76), 7-Shannon Boxx, 11-Carli Lloyd, 5-Lindsay Tarpley (12-Leslie Osborne, 70); 6-Natasha Kai (19-Amy Rodriguez, 76), 20-Abby Wambach.

CAN: 18-Erin McLeod; 6-Sophie Schmidt (4-Clare Rustad, 46), 9-Candace Chapman, 10-Martina Franko, 11-Randee Hermus; 8-Diana Matheson, 19-Jonelle Filigno, 7-Rhian Wilkinson (5-Robin Gayle, 73); 12-Christine Sinclair, 14-Melissa Tancredi (17-Brittany Timko, 90), 15-Kara Lang (21-Jodi-Ann Robinson, 70).

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