2018 CONCACAF Women's Championship

2018 CONCACAF Women's Championship

Tournament details
Host country	United States
Dates	4–17 October
Teams	8 (from 1 confederation)
Venue(s)	3 (in 3 host cities)
Final positions
Champions	United States (8th title)
Runners-up	Canada
Third place	Jamaica
Fourth place	Panama
Tournament statistics
Matches played	16
Goals scored	83 (5.19 per match)
Top scorer(s)	Alex Morgan (7 goals)
Best player(s)	Julie Ertz
Best young player	Jody Brown
Best goalkeeper	Yenith Bailey
Fair play award	United States
← 2014 2022 →

The 2018 CONCACAF Women's Championship was the 10th edition of the CONCACAF Women's Championship (also known as the CONCACAF Women's Gold Cup or the CONCACAF Women's World Cup Qualifying Tournament), the quadrennial international football championship organized by CONCACAF for the women's national teams of the North, Central American and Caribbean region. Eight teams played in the tournament, which took place from 4 to 17 October 2018 in the United States. ^{[1] [2]}

The tournament served as the CONCACAF qualifiers to the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup in France. The top three teams qualified for the World Cup, while the fourth-placed team advanced to a play-off against the third-placed team from the South American confederation, CONMEBOL. ^[3] It also determined the CONCACAF teams playing at the 2019 Pan American Games women's football tournament in Lima. ^[4]

The United States were the defending champions of the competition. They successfully defended their title as hosts, winning the final 2–0 against Canada for their 8th CONCACAF Women's Championship title. ^[5]

This was the last CONCACAF tournament branded as the "Women's Championship". In August 2019, CONCACAF announced a rebranding of the competition as the CONCACAF W Championship. ^[6]

Qualification

Further information: 2018 CONCACAF Women's Championship qualification

Regional qualification tournaments were held to determine the teams playing in the final tournament.

Qualified teams

The following eight teams qualified for the final tournament. Canada, Mexico, and the United States, as members of the North American Football Union (NAFU), qualified automatically. Two teams from the Central American Football Union (UNCAF) and three teams from the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) qualified from their regional qualifying competitions.

Team	Qualification	Appearance	Previous best performance	Previous FIFA Women's World Cup appearances	FIFA ranking at start of event [7]
North American Zone (NAFU)
Canada	Automatic	9th	Champions (1998, 2010)	6	5
Mexico	Automatic	9th	Runners-up (1998, 2010)	3	24
United States (title holders & hosts)	Automatic	9th	Champions (1991, 1993, 1994, 2000, 2002, 2006, 2014)	7	1
Costa Rica	Central American winners	7th	Runners-up (2014)	1	34
Panama	Central American runners-up	3rd	Group stage (2002, 2006)	0	66
Jamaica	Caribbean winners	6th	Fourth place (2006)	0	64
Trinidad and Tobago	Caribbean runners-up	10th	Third place (1991)	0	52
Cuba	Caribbean third place	1st	Debut	0	88

Venues

The venues were announced by CONCACAF on 8 April 2018. Sahlen's Stadium and H-E-B Park hosted the group stage matches, while Toyota Stadium hosted the four matches in the knockout stage. ^[8]

Cary, North Carolina	Edinburg, Texas	Frisco, Texas	Cary Edinburg Frisco
Sahlen's Stadium	H-E-B Park	Toyota Stadium
Capacity: 10,000	Capacity: 9,735	Capacity: 20,500

Draw

The draw for the final tournament was held on 4 September 2018, 10:00 EDT (UTC−4), at the Univision Studios in Miami. ^{[9] [10]} The eight teams were drawn into two groups of four teams. They were seeded into four pots. Pot 1 contained the United States, seeded in Group A, and Canada, seeded in Group B. The remaining six teams were allocated to Pots 2–4 based on the CONCACAF Women's Rankings. The two teams from UNCAF could not be drawn into the same group.

Pot 1	Pot 2	Pot 3	Pot 4
United States (Position A1)   Canada (Position B1)	Mexico   Costa Rica	Trinidad and Tobago   Jamaica	Panama   Cuba

Squads

Main article: 2018 CONCACAF Women's Championship squads

The provisional 35-player roster (4 must be goalkeepers) for each team was announced by CONCACAF on 10 September 2018. ^[11] The final 20-player roster (2 must be goalkeepers) for each team was announced by CONCACAF on 26 September 2018. ^[12] After the final 20-player roster was submitted, only injury-related changes would be submitted until 24 hours before each team's first match. ^[13]

Group stage

The top two teams of each group advance to the semi-finals.

Tiebreakers

Teams are ranked according to points (3 points for a win, 1 point for a draw, 0 points for a loss). The rankings of teams in each group are determined as follows (regulations Article 12.12): ^[13]

1. points obtained in all group matches;
2. goal difference in all group matches;
3. number of goals scored in all group matches;

If two or more teams are equal on the basis of the above three criteria, their rankings are determined as follows:

4. points obtained in the group matches between the teams concerned;
5. goal difference in the group matches between the teams concerned;
6. number of goals scored in the group matches between the teams concerned;
7. fair play points in all group matches:
   • first yellow card: minus 1 point;
   • indirect red card (second yellow card): minus 3 points;
   • direct red card: minus 4 points;
   • yellow card and direct red card: minus 5 points;
8. drawing of lots by CONCACAF.

Group A

All times are local, EDT (UTC−4). ^[14]

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	United States (H)	3	3	0	0	18	0	+18	9	Knockout stage
2	Panama	3	2	0	1	5	5	0	6
3	Mexico	3	1	0	2	4	9	−5	3
4	Trinidad and Tobago	3	0	0	3	1	14	−13	0

Source: CONCACAF
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers
(H) Hosts

4 October 2018 (2018-10-04)

17:00

Trinidad and Tobago	0–3	Panama
	Report	Cox 12' Rangel 68' Hernández 89'

Sahlen's Stadium, Cary

Referee: Odette Hamilton (Jamaica)

4 October 2018 (2018-10-04)

19:30

United States	6–0	Mexico
Rapinoe 3', 71' Ertz 47' Morgan 57', 80' Heath 61'	Report

Sahlen's Stadium, Cary

Attendance: 5,404

Referee: Carol Anne Chénard (Canada)

---

7 October 2018 (2018-10-07)

17:00

Panama	0–5	United States
	Report	Mewis 6' Lloyd 23', 29', 48' Press 32'

Sahlen's Stadium, Cary

Attendance: 7,532

Referee: Tatiana Guzmán (Nicaragua)

7 October 2018 (2018-10-07)

19:30

Mexico	4–1	Trinidad and Tobago
Corral 33', 62' Johnson 55' Sánchez 71'	Report	Cato 50' (pen.)

Sahlen's Stadium, Cary

Referee: Mirian León (El Salvador)

---

10 October 2018 (2018-10-10)

17:00

Panama	2–0	Mexico
Riley 47' Cedeño 85'	Report

Sahlen's Stadium, Cary

Referee: Marie-Soleil Beaudoin (Canada)

10 October 2018 (2018-10-10)

19:30

Trinidad and Tobago	0–7	United States
	Report	Morgan 9', 50' Lavelle 41', 43' Dunn 45' Horan 49' Heath 58'

Sahlen's Stadium, Cary

Attendance: 3,996

Referee: Odette Hamilton (Jamaica)

Group B

All times are local, CDT (UTC−5). ^[14]

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	Canada	3	3	0	0	17	1	+16	9	Knockout stage
2	Jamaica	3	2	0	1	10	2	+8	6
3	Costa Rica	3	1	0	2	9	4	+5	3
4	Cuba	3	0	0	3	0	29	−29	0

Source: CONCACAF
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers

5 October 2018 (2018-10-05)

17:00

Costa Rica	8–0	Cuba
Herrera 4' Chinchilla 5', 45+1' F. Sánchez 19' S. Cruz 33', 38' Barrantes 82' (pen.), 90+2'	Report

H-E-B Park, Edinburg

Referee: Ekaterina Koroleva (United States)

5 October 2018 (2018-10-05)

19:30

Canada	2–0	Jamaica
Prince 33', 80'	Report

H-E-B Park, Edinburg

Referee: Francia González (Mexico)

---

8 October 2018 (2018-10-08)

17:00

Jamaica	1–0	Costa Rica
Shaw 46'	Report

H-E-B Park, Edinburg

Referee: Melissa Borjas (Honduras)

8 October 2018 (2018-10-08)

19:30

Cuba	0–12	Canada
	Report	Leon 11', 23', 55', 59' Huitema 13', 37', 52', 71' Rose 25' Quinn 56' Sinclair 63' Matheson 72'

H-E-B Park, Edinburg

Referee: Crystal Sobers (Trinidad and Tobago)

---

11 October 2018 (2018-10-11)

18:30

Cuba	0–9	Jamaica
	Report	Shaw 2' Brown 26', 38', 72' Campbell 30', 75' Blackwood 50' (pen.) Chang 64' Sweatman 82'

H-E-B Park, Edinburg

Referee: Crystal Sobers (Trinidad and Tobago)

11 October 2018 (2018-10-11)

21:00

Costa Rica	1–3	Canada
G. Villalobos 73'	Report	Beckie 25' Prince 40' Sinclair 57'

H-E-B Park, Edinburg

Referee: Lucila Venegas (Mexico)

Knockout stage

In the semi-finals, if the match was level at the end of 90 minutes, no extra time would be played and the match would be decided by a penalty shoot-out. In the third place match and final, if the match was level at the end of 90 minutes, extra time would be played, and if still tied after extra time, the match would be decided by a penalty shoot-out (Regulations Article 12.14). ^[13]

Bracket

All times are local, CDT (UTC−5). ^[14]

	Semi-finals				Final
	14 October – Frisco
	Panama	0
					17 October – Frisco
	Canada	7
					Canada	0
	14 October – Frisco
					United States	2
	United States	6
	Jamaica	0
					Third place play-off
					17 October – Frisco
					Panama	2 (2)
					Jamaica (p)	2 (4)

Semi-finals

14 October 2018 (2018-10-14)

16:00

Panama	0–7	Canada
	Report	Sinclair 44', 49' Fleming 47' Beckie 58' Quinn 63' Leon 76', 78'

Toyota Stadium, Frisco

Referee: Odette Hamilton (Jamaica)

---

14 October 2018 (2018-10-14)

19:00

United States	6–0	Jamaica
Heath 2', 29' Rapinoe 15' Ertz 21' Morgan 33', 84' (pen.)	Report

Toyota Stadium, Frisco

Attendance: 7,555

Referee: Francia González (Mexico)

Canada and United States qualified for 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup. Panama and Jamaica entered into the third place play-off.

Third place play-off

17 October 2018 (2018-10-17)

16:00

Panama	2–2 (a.e.t.)	Jamaica
Mills 74' Cedeño 115'	Report	Shaw 14' Brown 95'
Penalties
Pinzón Hernández Cedeño Rangel	2–4	Blackwood Shim Chang Bond-Flasza

Toyota Stadium, Frisco

Referee: Carol Anne Chénard (Canada)

Jamaica qualified for 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup. Panama entered CONCACAF–CONMEBOL play-off vs. Argentina.

Final

17 October 2018 (2018-10-17)

19:00

Canada	0–2	United States
	Report	Lavelle 2' Morgan 89'

Toyota Stadium, Frisco

Attendance: 6,986

Referee: Lucila Venegas (Mexico)

2018 CONCACAF champions
United States Eighth title

Awards

Individual awards

The following awards were given at the conclusion of the tournament. ^[15]

Award	Player
Golden Ball	Julie Ertz
Golden Boot	Alex Morgan (7 goals)
Golden Glove	Yenith Bailey
Young Player	Jody Brown
Fair Play	United States

Best XI

Goalkeepers	Defenders	Midfielders	Forwards
Yenith Bailey	Kelley O'Hara Quinn [lower-alpha 1] Abby Dahlkemper Crystal Dunn	Jessie Fleming Julie Ertz Lindsey Horan	Tobin Heath Alex Morgan Megan Rapinoe

Goalscorers

There were 83 goals scored in 16 matches, for an average of 5.19 goals per match.

7 goals

• Alex Morgan

6 goals

• Adriana Leon

4 goals

• Jordyn Huitema
• Christine Sinclair
• Jody Brown
• Tobin Heath

3 goals

• Nichelle Prince
• Khadija Shaw
• Rose Lavelle
• Carli Lloyd
• Megan Rapinoe

2 goals

• Janine Beckie
• Quinn ^{[lower-alpha 1]}
• María Barrantes
• Priscila Chinchilla
• Shirley Cruz
• Sashana Campbell
• Charlyn Corral
• Lineth Cedeño
• Julie Ertz

1 goal

• Jessie Fleming
• Diana Matheson
• Deanne Rose
• Melissa Herrera
• Fabiola Sánchez
• Gloriana Villalobos
• Deneisha Blackwood
• Christina Chang
• Marlo Sweatman
• Katie Johnson
• María Sánchez
• Marta Cox
• Erika Hernández
• Natalia Mills
• Kenia Rangel
• Karla Riley
• Jonelle Cato
• Crystal Dunn
• Lindsey Horan
• Sam Mewis
• Christen Press

Qualification for international tournaments

Qualified teams for FIFA Women's World Cup

The following three teams from CONCACAF qualified for the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup. Panama failed to qualify losing out the play-off to 2018 Copa América Femenina third-placed team, Argentina.

Team	Qualified on	Previous appearances in FIFA Women's World Cup 1
Canada	14 October 2018 [16]	6 (1995, 1999, 2003, 2007, 2011, 2015 )
United States	14 October 2018 [16]	7 ( 1991 , 1995, 1999 , 2003 , 2007, 2011, 2015 )
Jamaica	17 October 2018 [17]	0 (debut)

¹Bold indicates champions for that year. Italic indicates hosts for that year.

Qualified teams for Pan American Games

The tournament was used to determine the four teams from CONCACAF which would qualify for the 2019 Pan American Games women's football tournament. The top team from each of the three zones, i.e., Caribbean (CFU), Central American (UNCAF), and North American (NAFU), would qualify, with the fourth team to be determined by CONCACAF at a later date. ^[4] However, both United States and Canada declined to participate to focus on the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup, so Mexico qualified for the North American berth. ^[18]

Team	Zone	Qualified on	Previous appearances in Pan American Games 2
Jamaica	CFU	11 October 2018	1 (2007)
Panama	UNCAF	11 October 2018	1 (2007)
Mexico [18]	NAFU	2019 (confirmed by CONCACAF)	5 (1999, 2003, 2007, 2011 , 2015)
Costa Rica [18]	UNCAF	2019 (confirmed by CONCACAF)	4 (1999, 2003, 2011, 2015)

²Bold indicates champions for that year. Italic indicates hosts for that year.

Controversy

In the 89th minute of the final match, Alex Morgan was offside when she scored the second goal for the USA, but the referee did not invalidate the goal. ^[19] Video assistant referee was not used in this tournament.

Notes

1. Then known as Rebecca Quinn

References

1. "2018 Concacaf Women's Championship to be Held in Cary, N.C., Edinburg, Texas & Frisco, Texas". US Soccer. 8 April 2018.
2. "United States Set to Host 2018 Concacaf Women's Championship in October". www.concacaf.com. 23 March 2018. Retrieved 23 March 2018.
3. "Circular #1565 – FIFA women's tournaments 2018–2019" (PDF). FIFA.com. 11 November 2016. Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 November 2016.
4. "Qualification System manual" (PDF). www.panamsports.org/. Pan American Sports Organization. 25 April 2018. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
5. "Lavelle and Morgan lift the United States over Canada for the 2018 CWC title". CONCACAF. 17 October 2018. Archived from the original on 1 July 2019. Retrieved 18 October 2018.
6. "Concacaf to launch revamped W Championship and new W Gold Cup" (Press release). CONCACAF. 19 August 2019. Retrieved 22 September 2021.
7. "Women's Ranking – 28 September 2018 (CONCACAF)". FIFA.com. Archived from the original on 19 October 2018.
8. "2018 Concacaf Women's Championship Final Rounds Set for Frisco, Texas, with Group Stages to Be Played in Cary, N.C. and Edinburg, Texas". CONCACAF.com. 8 April 2018.
9. "Draw Confirmed for the 2018 Concacaf Women's Championship". CONCACAF.com. 7 August 2018.
10. "Draw Reveals Groups for the 2018 Concacaf Women's Championship". CONCACAF.com. 4 September 2018.
11. "Provisional 35 Player Rosters Announced for the 2018 Concacaf Women's Championship". CONCACAF.com. 10 September 2018.
12. "Final 20-Player Rosters Announced for the 2018 Concacaf Women's Championship". CONCACAF.com. 26 September 2018.
13. "2018 Concacaf Women's Championship Regulations" (PDF). CONCACAF. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 September 2018. Retrieved 27 September 2018.
14. "Schedule" (PDF). CONCACAF.com.
15. "Concacaf announces the individual awards and Best XI of the CWC". CONCACAF. 17 October 2018. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
16. "USA, Canada win passage to France". FIFA.com. 15 October 2018.
17. "Jamaica claim first-ever Women's World Cup berth". FIFA.com. 18 October 2018.
18. "Selección Femenina de fútbol estará en los Panamericanos 2019 pese a no haber clasificado" (in Spanish). La Nación. 25 February 2019.
19. Mitchell Tierney. "Canada lose to the United States in the Concacaf Women's tournament final". WalkingTheRed.com. Archived from the original on 31 January 2021. Retrieved 10 April 2020. The goals were not without controversy, however, as Morgan's goal was clearly offside..

External links

• World Cup Qualifying – Women, CONCACAF.com