MIAMI, Florida – This Friday at 7:00 PM ET, Concacaf will be airing a re-broadcast of the 2018 Concacaf Women’s Championship Third-Place match between Jamaica and Panama and the Final between the United States and Canada on Concacaf’s Facebook and YouTube pages, in addition to the Concacaf App.
The U.S. won their sixth confederation crown at the 2018 CWC and a big reason for their success was the play of MF Julie Ertz.
The Mesa, Arizona native started all five matches as the U.S. compiled a spotless 5W-0D-0L record while outscoring opponents 26-0.
Ertz also got her name on the scoresheet in two matches, tallying the second goal for the U.S. in their opening 6-0 win over Mexico and then the third score in the 6-0 triumph over Jamaica in the semifinals.
The goal versus El Tricolor came at a key moment in the match, with the U.S. clinging to a 1-0 lead in the 47’. A ball bounced off the crossbar and Ertz was quick to react, pouncing on the loose ball and sweeping a right-footed shot into goal to double the U.S. lead.
Ertz’s other goal could not have been scripted better. With the U.S. holding a 2-0 lead against the Reggae Girlz, the central midfielder played a pass out wide left to full-back Crystal Dunn, who then curled a cross into the area and the soaring Ertz met it with a thumping header into net and a 3-0 U.S. advantage.
Throughout the tournament, Ertz was an anchor in midfield and was a big reason why the U.S. kept a Canada side that had scored 24 goals in their previous four games completely under wraps in the Final in a 2-0 victory.
For her efforts, Ertz was awarded the Golden Ball as the tournament’s Most Valuable Player, adding to her list of individual distinctions that also includes U.S. Women’s National Team Player of the Year honors in 2017 and 2019.
