After the USA (3-1-0, 9 Points) took a 2:0 with goals from Kelley O'Hara and Casey Nogueira, Mexico (3-1-0, 9 Points) got a pair of tallies by Juana Evelyn Lopez and penalty kick goal from Veronica Charlyn Corral for the 3:2 victory in the final Group B match at Maracanã Stadium.
The win was the first by the tricolores against the stars & stripes in a Women's Tournament.
Despite the loss, the USA also qualifies to the 2007 Pan American Games Women's Tournament Semifinals and claim first-place in Group B after finishing ahead of Mexico on goal difference (+11 to +7).
In the other Group B encounter on Friday, two goals each from Rosana Gomez and Andrea Susana Ojeda led Argentina (3-1-0, 9 Points, goal difference +3) to a 5:2 victory over Paraguay (0-3-1, 1 Point) at the Miécimo de Silva Sport Complex.
Elsewhere, Brazil (4-0-0, 12 Points) won the Group A title after defeating Canada (3-1-0, 9 Points) by a score of 7:0 at the Maracanã Stadium. Marta Silva led the samba queens with five goals, while Daniela Alves and Rosana Augusto each added another in the victory over the maple leafs as both teams had already secured their places to the semifinals.
In the other Group A match at the Miécimo de Silva Sport Complex, Monica Quintero scored twice to lead Ecuador (1-3-0, 3 Points) to a 4:2 victory over Uruguay (0-3-1, 1 Point).
The women's tournament continues on Monday (23 July) with the semifinals at the Maracanã Stadium with Brazil hosting Mexico and then USA facing Canada.
The bronze and gold medal games will take place Maracanã Stadium on 26 July.
2007 PAN AMERICAN GAMES - Rio de Janeiro, BRAZIL
Women's Football Tournament
Group A
20.07: Maracanã Stadium
BRAZIL - CANADA 7:0 (1:0)
Marta SILVA 25', 52', 72', 85', 88'; Rosana AUGUSTO 50'; Daniela ALVES 66'
BRA: Andréia Suntaque - Aline Pellergrino, Renta Costa, Elaine Moura (71: Simone Jatoba), Rosana Augusto, Daniela Alves, Miraildes Mota, Marta Silva, Cristiane Silva (88: Delma Goncalves), Andreia Santos, Tania Ribeiro. Booked: Moura 46'
CAN: Taryn Swiatek - Kristina Kiss, Melanie Booth, Rhian Wilkinson, Diana Matheson (79: Sasha Andrews), Martina Franko, Randee Hermus, Christine Sinclair, Kara Lang (46: Melissa Tancredi), Kate Thorlakson (67: Andrea Neil), Brittany Timko. Booked: Kiss 12', Timko 63'
R: Pablo Antonio POZO (CHI)
Miécimo de Silva Sport Complex
URUGUAY - ECUADOR 2:4 (1:2)
Juliana CASTRO 35' pen; Juliana CASTRO 74' - Carmen FREIRE 12' pen; Monica QUINTERO 22', 86'; Denise PESANTES 62'
URU: Luciana Gomez - Carla Arrua, Guillermina Rodriguez, Alejandra Laborda, Juliana Castro (89: Paula Viera), Natalia Gonzalez, Laura Far (71: Sindy Ramirez), Gabriela Paiva, Mayra Padron, Ines Rusch, Carla Quinteros.
ECU: Carla Wary - Barbara Sanchez, Lorena Aguilar, Paola Bermudes, Monica Quintero, Carmen Freire (86: Isabel Coloma), Denisa Pesantes, Shirley Roque (46: Letty Quintero), Maria De Los Angeles Meneses, Jessenia Lucas, Mabel Velarde (78: Valeria Palacios).
R: Atilio INVERNIZZI (PAR)
Group B
20.07: Miécimo de Silva Sport Complex
ARGENTINA - PARAGUAY 5:2 (2:1)
Rosana GOMEZ 23', 53'; Andrea Susana OJEDA 34', 67'; Natalia GATTI 73' - Karina VEGA 2'; Nadia RODAS 87'
ARG: Vanina Correa - Eva Gonzalez, Valeria Cotelo, Gabriela Chavez, Natalia Gatti, Mariela Coronel (46: Clarisa Huber), Rosana Gomez, Florencia Quiñones, Andrea Susana Ojeda, Fabiana Vallejos, Maria Belen Potassa (57: Florencia Mandrile). Booked: Gonzalez 86'
PAR: Gloria Rodriguez - Myriam Vielma, Mirta Alarcon, Silvia Getto (78: Gloria Villamayor), Carina Martinez (65: Mara Talavera), Nadia Rodas, Veronica Riveros, Dulce Maria Quintana, Karina Vega (70: Raquel Ramirez), Carmen Benitez, Joana Galeano. Booked: Galeano 62', Sent offs: Quintana 59'
R: Djalma BELTRAME (BRA)
Maracanã Stadium
MEXICO - USA 3:2 (0:1)
Juana Evelyn LOPEZ 62', 64'; Veronica Charlyn CORRAL 79' - Casey NOGUEIRA 24'; Kelley O'HARA 57'
MEX: Anjuli Ladron De Guevara - Leslie Anne Muñoz (76: Rubi Marlene Sandoval), Monica Gonzalez, Maria De Jesus Castillo, Monica Vergara (46: Veronica Charlyn Corral), Juana Evelyn Lopez (90: Maria Arelli Martinez), Carmelita Padilla, Monica Ocampo, Teresa Worbis, Maria Isabel Valdez, Liz Del Rosario Saucedo. Booked: none
USA: Chantel Jones - Brittany Taylor, Nikki Washington (35: Kaley Fountain), Nikki Marshall, Casey Nogueira, Jessica McDonald (76: Teresa Noyola), Michelle Enyeart, Tobin Heath, Gina DiMartino (46: Kelley O'Hara), Becky Edwards, Lauren Wilmoth. Booked: none
R: Hector PACHECO (PER)
Semifinals
23.07: Maracanã Stadium
BRAZIL - MEXICO (15:30)
USA - CANADA (19:00)
Photo #1 - Canada vs. Brazil, by Dario Lopez-Mills/AP
Photo #2 - Mexico vs. USA, by Ian Salas/EFE
