Peace Cup Champs

A classic USA-Canada battle today for sure. Both teams were excellent in defending air balls, and there were a lot of air balls served into both boxes on set pieces. Natasha Kai hit the inside of the right post in the early going and that could have changed the game, but hats off to Canada (perhaps one of those cool hats that the Canadian Mounties wear?) for playing a gritty game although the 1-0 scoreline was a just result, even if the goal was a bit wacky. But speaking of wacky, that would be the post-game celebration on the field. After all of the trophy, prize money and individual award presentations were over, and with the metallic streamers all over the field that shot over the team as they lifted the Peace Queen Cup Trophy, the U.S. players had a grand time running around and spraying each other with bottles of a certain beverage that magically appeared on the field. The players then started dancing with a Korean pop group that was performing post-game (Natasha Kai may have earned a place in the band) and even the Canadian players got into the act (many of the players from both teams know each other well, having played with and against each other many times in the past), joining in on the dancing and dousing Angela Hucles (and a few other U.S. players) with said beverage. The U.S. players also saluted the fans (great crowd of 25,000) and especially a group of U.S. military folks who had kept up a steady stream of cheering behind one of the goals. Many of the players ran over to the cheering section and tossed their victory flower bouquets into the stands for the U.S. fans.

Abby Wambach and Christine Sinclair, with almost 200 international goals between them, share a laugh post-game as they wait to be presented with their various trophies.