ALAJUELA, Costa Rica - Canada outlasted the United States on penalties 5-3 after a goalless draw Thursday to advance to the final of the CONCACAF Under-17 Women's Championship and qualify for the World Cup.
Clarissa Wiedemayer was the lone miss for the Americans, shooting high and ending the World Cup hopes of the United States, which finished runner-up in the 2008 world championship to Korea DPR. It was the first time the Americans failed to qualify for a women's World Cup.
Chantal Campbell sealed the victory for Canada with the clinching penalty, as Weidemayer broke down in tears.
"It's always been my dream to go the World Cup and now that we're going there, I just want to cry," said Canada's Nicole Setterlund, who converted the fourth penalty for Canada. "Our team defended really hard. It was a battle. It was a war and we got lucky."
While the United States entered the game having outscored its opponents 32-0 in three first round games, Canada hadn't scored in 143 minutes.
The Canadians started with equal possession but the Americans began to dominate in the second half. The United States had the only chances in extra time as its northern rival played the final 40 minutes without attempting a shot on goal.
Canada had the more dangerous chances in the first half, but the United States thought it had claim to a penalty.
Nour Ghoneim had a low shot from 25 meters in the 15th minute that U.S. keeper Bryane Haeberline had to dive low to hold at the right post. Ghoneim broke in from the right five minutes later and Haeberline partially blocked her shot, but the ball bounced behind her requiring center back Abigail Dahlkemper to head it off the line.
Her header however banged off the right post before Haeberline could recover and smother the ball.
Canadian keeper Sabrina D'Angelo raced out of her penalty area three times in the first seven minutes to squelch seemingly developing danger from the United States.
The Americans had one of their best chances in the 45th, when Taylor Smith and Morgan Brian twice traded passes before Brian's last touch failed her and Canadian keeper Sabrina D'Angelo was able to grab it and defuse the danger.
Their clearest chance came 11 minutes earlier when Smith was sent in alone on D'Angelo only to be grabbed from behind by the shoulder and shoved by Nicole Setterlund, sending her to the ground while her weak shot was easily grabbed by the Canadian keeper.
The second half was almost all the United States as the equally athletic Canadians kept nine players behind the ball and managed to thwart the American attack with a packed penalty area and tight marking.
Canada's counter-attack strategy nearly paid dividends in the 81st when Kinley McNicoll was able break into the left side of the area and volley a low ball, but Haeberline raced off her line to block the shot with a sliding effort.
The Americans had two prime chances to win it in extra time. Smith broke in behind Wiedemayer in the 93rd minute with only D'Angelo to beat, but the keeper was able to block her shot with her right arm.
Three minutes later Havana Solaun had a clean look from 21 meters, but put her shot just over thebar.
