Despite tough loss, Bev Priestman encouraged with where Canada's soccer women are heading

Bev Priestman had every right to go on an impassioned rant after the Canadian women's team's loss in Monday's CONCACAF W Championship final in Monterrey, Mexico.

The United States earned a slim 1-0 lead at Estadio BBVA via a 78th-minute goal from Alex Morgan, a goal that was a by-product of a dubious penalty decision just moments earlier when Canadian fullback Allysha Chapman was judged to have tripped up Rose Lavelle from behind inside the 18-yard box.

The American player went down far too easily, and while replays showed there was barely any contact, the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) booth didn't intervene and the call stood. Yet, Canada's coach took it all in stride, and was gracious in defeat, recognizing that the U.S. was the better team on the night. 

"I think it was a soft penalty. But these things happen. A penalty is a penalty, and it was a decision that was made," Priestman told reporters after the game.

She later added: "I don't take [anything] away from the U.S. They brought it to us, and all credit to them." 

In exacting revenge for its loss to Canada in the semifinals of last summer's Tokyo Olympics, the U.S. was crowned the queens of CONCACAF, and also qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympics. Canada will now have to face Jamaica, the third-place team at this tournament, in a playoff in September, 2023 to determine who'll claim the other Olympic berth on offer in the CONCACAF region.

WATCH | U.S. defeats Canada to secure Olympic spot:

Losses against the U.S. always sting. Before Canada's victory in Tokyo, that's pretty much all it knew when dealing with the Americans, as the Reds hadn't defeated their neighbours in 37 consecutive games, a streak that dated back to their previous victory on March 11, 2001.

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