U.S. Women One Step From World Cup Qualification

At 8-0, the girls decided to stop being big meanies. They added another goal anyway.

The United States did all that was expected of them and more on Saturday night, running riot in Cancun on their way to a 9-0 thrashing of Guatemala. The USWNT now has a +15 goal differential and the maximum six points from their two World Cup qualifying matches.

Hopefully Women’s World Cup Qualifying has an obscure mercy rule.

The United States women have piled it on further, expanding their lead to six goals going into halftime. The Guatemalans were completely over-matched in the final 25 minutes of the half as the USWNT piled it on.

The USWNT kicked off their qualifying campaign with a 5-0 win against Haiti two days ago while Guatemala put in a disappointing performance in a 1-0 loss to Costa Rica. In order to keep their qualification hopes alive, Guatemala will have to pull off a massive upset tonight against a United States team that has never lost in World Cup qualification. This is the first ever meeting between the two nations in women’s soccer.

United States coach has made two changes from the match against Haiti, preferring Megan Rapinoe to Yael Averbuch on the left side of midfield and Stephanie Cox to Rachel Buehler at left back.

Abby Wambach has scored yet again in the 62nd minute to give the United States a 5-0 lead. Kristine Lilly made a fantastic turn and a better cross from the left flank, finding Wambach at the far post for an easy header.

The United States women appear to have let off the gas a bit and have made three substitutions. Kristine Lilly has extended her all time caps record, entering the match for Yael Averbuch, Megan Rapinoe has entered for Heather O’Reilly, and Lauren Cheney has come in for Amy Rodriguez.

The United States Women’s national team is off to a great start in their quest to win the CONCACAF Women’s Gold Cup and qualify for the 2011 Women’s World Cup, going up 2-0 early on Haiti.

The first goal came in the 9th minute off a set play. Central midfielder Carli Lloyd took a shot from a direct free kick that was saved well by Haiti goalkeeper Geralda Saintilus. Unfortunately for Haiti, the ball eventually fell to U.S. defender Rachel Buehler. She pounced on the loose ball and put it into the back of the net, putting the U.S. up 1-0 and notching her first career international goal.

Just seven of the 20 women on the roster have ever played in a World Cup qualifier and head coach Pia Sundhage has never been the head coach of a World Cup team, although she was an assistant with China in 2007.

That doesn’t mean the team isn’t entirely without experience. Abby Wambach (142 caps), Kristine Lilly (349), Heather O’Reilly (127) and Shannon Boxx (129) all have extensive time with the national team. Goalkeeper Hope Solo is among the familiar names who won’t be playing as she is nursing a shoulder injury. In her place are a pair of relatively inexperienced players, Nicole Barnhart (24 caps) and Jill Loyden (1).