Wednesday 18 January 2012
© AFP
With the FIFA Women’s World Cup™ now a distant memory, the female elite in the North, Central America and Caribbean region have shifted focus towards booking a place at the Women’s Olympic Football Tournament London 2012 with just two tickets on offer.
The qualifying tournament, which begins tomorrow at BC Place in Vancouver, British Columbia, is bound to serve up a series of mouth-watering fixtures as eight nations, including the region’s heavyweights in Canada, Mexico, and USA, battle for Olympic berths. While hosts Canada are favoured in Group A alongside Costa Rica, Cuba, and Haiti, Germany 2011 runners-up USA face a stiff test in Group B as they must face rivals Mexico on the final group matchday after having gone head-to-head with less-fancied sides Guatemala and Dominican Republic.
Two teams will advance from each group into the semi-finals, where they will not only compete for a spot in the final on 29 January, but an assured place at London 2012.
Canada headline opening bill
Costa Rica and Cuba will open the qualifying tournament in tomorrow’s early fixture, while the Canucks begin their campaign against Haiti in the day’s late kick-off. Canada, after failing to collect a single point at last summer’s FIFA Women’s World Cup, have embarked on a rebuilding process as of late with newly-appointed coach John Herdman at the forefront of such changes.
While hopeful of qualifying for London with the next FIFA Women’s World Cup set to take place on home soil, the Canadians will have to do so without veteran midfielder Diana Matheson, who underwent right-knee surgery after helping Canada win the Pan American Games over Brazil last October. Even so, the Canadians will certainly be boosted by home crowd support in Vancouver, and the players themselves have urged local fans to support them in their bid to qualify for this summer’s tournament. With forward and captain Christine Sinclair leading their charges, Canada are expected to clinch either first or second in Group A with two-time semi-finalists Costa Rica presenting their biggest threat.
Pressure is high for the hosts, but coach Herdman has expressed interest in preserving his player’s energy for the all-important semi-final showdown as he is weary of an early meeting with USA. "The only danger is no-one wants to meet the USA in the semi-finals," Herdman told CONCACAF's website. If that happens, things change radically. We'll keep our fingers crossed on that one."
However, before sealing passage through to the semi-finals, Canada will have to navigate a Costa Rican side seeking their first appearance at a world championship as well as minnows Cuba and Haiti, who are making their first-ever Olympic qualifying appearance.
Two teams will advance from each group into the semi-finals, where they will not only compete for a spot in the final on 29 January, but an assured place at London 2012.
Canada headline opening bill
Costa Rica and Cuba will open the qualifying tournament in tomorrow’s early fixture, while the Canucks begin their campaign against Haiti in the day’s late kick-off. Canada, after failing to collect a single point at last summer’s FIFA Women’s World Cup, have embarked on a rebuilding process as of late with newly-appointed coach John Herdman at the forefront of such changes.
While hopeful of qualifying for London with the next FIFA Women’s World Cup set to take place on home soil, the Canadians will have to do so without veteran midfielder Diana Matheson, who underwent right-knee surgery after helping Canada win the Pan American Games over Brazil last October. Even so, the Canadians will certainly be boosted by home crowd support in Vancouver, and the players themselves have urged local fans to support them in their bid to qualify for this summer’s tournament. With forward and captain Christine Sinclair leading their charges, Canada are expected to clinch either first or second in Group A with two-time semi-finalists Costa Rica presenting their biggest threat.
Pressure is high for the hosts, but coach Herdman has expressed interest in preserving his player’s energy for the all-important semi-final showdown as he is weary of an early meeting with USA. "The only danger is no-one wants to meet the USA in the semi-finals," Herdman told CONCACAF's website. If that happens, things change radically. We'll keep our fingers crossed on that one."
However, before sealing passage through to the semi-finals, Canada will have to navigate a Costa Rican side seeking their first appearance at a world championship as well as minnows Cuba and Haiti, who are making their first-ever Olympic qualifying appearance.
And while Costa Rica boast strong leadership in Olympique Lyonnais midfielder Shirley Cruz and stand in the way of Canada securing first place in Group A, perhaps the more tricky passage into the semi-finals lies in Group B. USA enter the qualifying tournament with wounds fresh after finishing second to Japan at Germany 2011, and are intent upon avenging that loss with not only a ticket to London, but by then winning gold at the tournament - a tall order as the Americans have won gold at the last two instalments of the Olympic Games.
Mexico, USA rematch looms
USA forward Abby Wambach is well aware there are no second chances this time around in qualifying, noting that the “region is historically tight”, while specifically remembering a crushing first-ever loss to Mexico in the semi-finals at the qualifying tournament for Germany 2011 that forced the Americans into a do-or-die qualifying series against Italy. “Our group is tough,” Wambach told FIFA.com. “Mexico is going to be the game that all of us have marked on our calendars, because that’s going to be the game that sees how we are going to cross over for that semi-final match: the match we need to win.
“The good news is that most of the players on this team experienced what we did last summer at the World Cup - that bittersweet taste of making such great movement and headlines back in our country, but just falling short. There is no better motivation you can have.”
Mexico, USA rematch looms
USA forward Abby Wambach is well aware there are no second chances this time around in qualifying, noting that the “region is historically tight”, while specifically remembering a crushing first-ever loss to Mexico in the semi-finals at the qualifying tournament for Germany 2011 that forced the Americans into a do-or-die qualifying series against Italy. “Our group is tough,” Wambach told FIFA.com. “Mexico is going to be the game that all of us have marked on our calendars, because that’s going to be the game that sees how we are going to cross over for that semi-final match: the match we need to win.
“The good news is that most of the players on this team experienced what we did last summer at the World Cup - that bittersweet taste of making such great movement and headlines back in our country, but just falling short. There is no better motivation you can have.”
Mexico will be keen on producing another upset, though, with coach Leonardo Cuellar holding regular training camps as the Mexican Football Federation heads into a new era of added investment in their women’s programme. The Mexicans have experienced talent in Maribel Dominguez and Monica Ocampo, who both scored in the group phase at the FIFA Women’s World Cup, as well as US-born forward Veronica Perez. Las Aztecas had a decent showing in Germany, drawing England and New Zealand either side of a 4-0 loss to eventual-winners Japan, and also finished third at the Pan American Games behind Canada and Brazil. And, any former hesitation in taking on giants USA has surely subsided as the Americans have a heavy memory of ‘what ifs’ weighing on their shoulders, while Mexico have shown tremendous progress in the last two years.
"Everything is going in the right direction," Mexico coach Leonardo Cuellar told CONCACAF's website. "But we need to confirm that with results. To qualify for the Olympics in London would be a big push for women's soccer in Mexico."
But before Mexico and USA meet in their much-anticipated clash on the final day of group play, qualifying newcomers Guatemala, lead by an up-and-coming duo in forward Katherine Ramos and midfielder Ana Martinez, along with Dominican Republic will be hoping to pull off a shock in
"Everything is going in the right direction," Mexico coach Leonardo Cuellar told CONCACAF's website. "But we need to confirm that with results. To qualify for the Olympics in London would be a big push for women's soccer in Mexico."
But before Mexico and USA meet in their much-anticipated clash on the final day of group play, qualifying newcomers Guatemala, lead by an up-and-coming duo in forward Katherine Ramos and midfielder Ana Martinez, along with Dominican Republic will be hoping to pull off a shock in
© Getty Images
Making little impact on the global stage in nearly a decade, it was certainly a gamble for Perez to switch international affiliations after having been included in the U-23 player pool for the United States, where she made one appearance. However, Perez was well aware the chance to break into the senior USA squad was minimal, feeling the opportunity to play with Mexico’s first-team could mean the fulfillment of such dreams as playing in a FIFA Women’s World Cup sooner rather than later.
Despite being born in Hayward, California, an eastern suburb of San Francisco, Perez’s Mexican roots run deep, and in an interview with FIFA.com the 23-year-old expressed her tremendous sense of pride in playing for Las Aztecas as they now seek a place at the Women’s Olympic Football Tournament London 2012, and described the poetic twist of fate when she single-handedly helped Mexico qualify for the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Fitting right in
The diminutive striker, spurred on by Cuellar’s confidence in her abilities, integrated well into Mexico’s frontline at first trial, quickly claiming a place in the starting line-up as the squad sought qualification for Germany 2011 in the CONCACAF region. “He [Cuellar] liked me from the first camp that I went into and I figured that it was a great opportunity, so I just took it as: ‘I want to play and if I have a chance to play in a World Cup then I’m going to do it’,” Perez said.
And, it was not long before Perez had the Mexico faithful celebrating a historic passage into the FIFA Women’s World Cup. With the qualifying tournament taking place on home soil in November 2010, thousands of fans deafened ears at Estadio Beto Avila as Mexico took on giants USA in a semi-final match that would determine which of the two sides would earn a direct ticket to Germany 2011.
The Mexicans stunned their northern neighbours, defeating the United States 2-1 with Perez notably assisting Maribel Dominguez’s opener in the third minute before nodding home the winner in the 27th minute after Carli Lloyd had equalised. “I couldn’t even think - I think my mind went blank for five minutes,” Perez said. “Everyone was so happy! The only thing I was thinking about afterwards, since we scored really early, was that we have 65 more minutes. It was definitely a very exciting moment and probably my happiest soccer moment in my career so far.”
We played in the World Cup and the Pan Am games, but to be able to play and help Mexico qualify for the Olympics would be huge.
Veronica Perez, Mexico forward
It was the first time Mexico had beaten USA, and Perez was delighted with the success, noting that few thought they had a chance and would likely have to vie for their place at the global showpiece in a play-off tie against Italy. However, it was the Americans who would go about qualifying the hard way, while the Mexicans were surely Germany-bound.
A dream come true
Upon arrival, Perez was impressed by the support for women’s football in Germany, and while Las Tricolores did not advance past the group stage, it was a momentous event in the forward’s life. “For me, it was such a great experience because ever since I was little I wanted to play in a World Cup and when you get to that moment where you actually walk out on the field and start in a game, you feel like: ‘Wow, everything that I have worked for until this point has come true’. I felt really proud.”
After the world finals, Mexico quickly switched gears, and while they placed third in the Pan American Games behind Canada and Brazil in October, they are very hopeful of building upon their FIFA Women's World Cup experience and earning a place at London 2012. “Our main focus right now is qualifying for the Olympics," Perez said. "We have been training for the past two months, gearing up for this [qualifying] tournament and we are just trying to train as hard as we can.”
The Mexicans are set to begin their Olympic qualifying campaign tomorrow in Vancouver, British Columbia against Guatemala, and will then face Dominican Republic followed by a much-anticipated meeting with USA. “We are definitely focusing on our first two games because we want to have a good start," said Perez. "If we end up playing them [USA] to determine who is first and second in our group, then we just have to go in with the same attitude we did against them in World Cup qualification - giving it our all on the field. Hopefully that is enough to beat them. If we end up getting first in our group, I think it will give us more confidence going forward into that important semi-final game.”
Perez, along with her team-mates, is well aware their final group match against the Americans could determine their standing going forward in Vancouver, and that they will not have the home crowd support which she felt gave Mexico "a huge advantage in World Cup qualifying". However, having attended college in Seattle, Washington, Perez is happy to be returning to the Pacific Northwest for the qualifying competition and is expecting plenty of Mexico supporters to show up. But nonetheless, Perez has yet another dream still alive and is savouring every moment. “We played in the World Cup and the Pan Am games, but to be able to play and help Mexico qualify for the Olympics would be huge. I would feel really grateful and blessed.”
