Canada To Play Mexico For Trip To Athens

Goals by Christine Latham and Aysha Jamani led Canada to a 2-1 victory over Costa Rica on Monday in women’s Olympic soccer qualifying, late Monday in Costa Rica.



Canada will now face Mexico in the CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying tournament semi-final on Wednesday while Costa Rica will face the United States, winner of the other group. The winners of those games will go to Athens.



Canada, which finished fourth at the 2003 World Cup, pressed hard at the start of the match at Costa Rica’s National Stadium. Latham struck six minutes into the match. Jamani added a second goal at 20 minutes with a shot that went through the legs of defender Monica Salazar, confusing goalkeeper Alejandra Alvarez.



Shirley Cruz scored for Costa Rica in the 63rd minute.



In the evening’s first game, Raiza Gutierrez scored two goals for Panama in a 3-0 victory over Jamaica.



Gutierrez broke a scoreless tie with a penalty kick at 60 minutes and added a second goal at 81 minutes. Maritzenia Bedoya scored four minutes later.



files from AP