It seemed almost inevitable that Canada and the United States would be the last two nations standing at the end of the CONCACAF W Championship when the tournament in Mexico kicked off earlier this month.
And so it came to pass, with the two rivals set to square off in Monday's final at Estadio BBVA in Monterrey. The U.S., No. 1 in the current world rankings, and sixth-ranked Canada have already clinched berths at next year's FIFA World Cup by virtue of finishing in the top four of this competition.
But winning the final offers much more than just bragging rights, as the CONCACAF champion will also automatically qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The runner-up will be forced to play the third-place team, either Costa Rica or Jamaica, in a playoff in September, 2023 to claim the other Olympic berth on offer in the region. "For any world class player or a coach, these are the games you live for.