Mexico qualifies for Women's World Cup with third place win

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Veronica Corral scored two goals in overtime to give Mexico and 4-2 win over Trinidad and Tobago in the third place match of the CONCACAF Women’s Championship at PPL Park Sunday.

While third place matches rarely have much meaning beyond who will get the consolation bronze medal, the win assured El Tri of a place in next year’s Women’s World Cup in Canada. For Trinidad and Tobago, which lost Friday’s game to Costa Rica in penalty kicks, they get another chance at a spot in the World Cup, with a two game playoff against Ecuador next month.

The game winner came in the 104th minute. Kenti Robles sent a beautiful cross from the right side into the area. From six yards out, Corral settled the ball and slipped it into the left side of the net.

It was a crushing blow for the Soca Princess, who were the surprise of the tournament, managing to hold the potent United States attack to just one goal in the event’s opening game, that despite their well chronicled problems of arriving in the states with virtually no money or equipment.

With the win less than assured for Mexico, Corral added an insurance tally in the 106th minute, running onto a quick ball out of midfield and easily finishing past T&T goalkeeper Kimika Forbes.

Sandra Mayor gave Mexico the lead in the 24th minute after a nice buildup from midfield. Veronica Corral sent in a cross from left win and Mayor one times it from about 12 yards out.

The Soca Princesses equalized on their first shot of the game, which didn’t come until the 57th minute. Ahkeela Mollon broke through on the right side of the area and sent a cross toward the left post. Kennya Cordner got under it and sent a header across the mouth of the goal and into the right side netting.

Neither team created many chances before the first two goals, but the tide turned deep in the second half when both teams scored less than a minute apart.

In the 78th minute, Corder played a cross from the left side into the area. After taking a bounce, it hit off Brianna Ryce and then fell to Mariah Shade who stuck into the net to give T&T a 2-1 lead. Corder created the goal with her run down the left side, but it was Ryce that got the credit for the set-up.

Mexico answered 55 seconds later. Mayor took the ball down to the end line on the right side, and Monica Ocampo was open on the far post to head it in.

Mexico came close to scoring twice in a to minute span in the second half, first when Veronica Perez fired a point blank shot that was saved by Forbes, then during a scramble in front of the T&T net in the 60th minute, that ended with T&T midfielder Lauren Hutchinson clearing the ball off the line.

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