Alex Morgan Goes Scoreless in U.S. Win, but Her 2-Year-Old Fan Is the Story
Former Cal star Alex Morgan did not score a goal in the U.S. Women's National Team's 3-0 victory over Costa Rica Thursday night in the CONCACAF semifinals, but she is still the talk of the tournament, thanks to a 2-year-old fan.
Morgan started Thursday's game, and there's a pretty good chance she will be in the starting lineup in Monday's championship game against Canada, which beat Jamaica 3-0 in the other semifinal. A 2-year-old named Luca certainly hopes Morgan will be a starter.
It was during the opening game against Haiti, when Morgan scored two goals, that she found a true fan in 2-year-old Luca, whose mother, Anna Camelo Jackson, provided this priceless video.:
Click here for the story of this fan and his meeting with Morgan.
The USWNT clinched a spot in the 2023 World Cup by reaching the semfinals of this tournament, and the American can assure themselves a berth in the 2024 Olympics in Paris by winning Monday championship game.
Morgan nearly scored twice in the first 20 minutes of Thursday's game, but came up empty both time.
Her right-footed shot from the center of the box hit the right post and bounced away in the third minute. In the 17th minute Morgan had another chance to score but her left-footed shot from straightaway barely missed, going wide left.
Morgan set up another scoring attempt late in the first half with a pass to Sophia Smith, whose resulting shot was saved by Costa Rica goaltender Noelia Bermudez.
The Americans took a 1-0 lead in the 34th minute on a goal by Emily Sonnett, whose left-footed shot from close range off a corner kick found the back of the net in the 34th minute..
The U.S. took a 2-0 lead in stoppage time at the end of the first half, when Mallory Pugh scored.
Ashley Sanchez scored the final U.S. goal in the closing seconds of the game. The American have yet to give up a goal in four CONCACAF games.
U.S. starting eleven: