Jan. 30, 2010
GUATEMALA CITY, Guatemala--Nittany Lion sophomore midfielder Christine Nairn (Arnold, Md.) and the United States U-20 Women's National Team struggled for portions of Saturday afternoon, but a late goal gave the Americans a 1-0 win over Mexico and a CONCACAF U-20 Championship at Estadio Cementos Progreso.
Nairn once against patrolled the central midfield for the U.S., earning her fifth-straight start in the tournament. The Mexican defense was stout throughout much of the afternoon, not allowing the final pass to connect on many of the Americans' opportunities. In fact, Mexico out-shot the U.S. 11-7 overall and 5-4 in shots on goal.
Two women, Nairn and UCLA standout Sydney Leroux, are holdovers from the 2008 U-20 FIFA World Cup winning team in Chile. Both felt the pain of a 1-0 defeat in Pueblos, Mexico in the 2008 CONCACAF Championship to Canada, but Leroux's 87th-minute tally off a Kistie Mewis assist sent the U.S. to Germany and the 2010 World Cup in style.
Earlier on Saturday, the Canadian National Team fell to Costa Rica, 1-0, denying the Canadians its fourth-straight trip to the World Cup. Nittany Lion defender Lexi Marton (Aurora, Ontario), who battled an illness while in Guatemala, is a member of the squad as well a 2008 CONCACAF Champion.
--NITTANY LIONS--