Mal Pugh (photo courtesy Getty Images)Mal Pugh (photo courtesy Getty Images)
Getty Images

Mal Pugh (photo courtesy Getty Images)

U.S., Canada Qualify to Olympics

Women's Soccer

The U.S. and Canadian Women's Soccer National Teams are Rio-Bound.

The U.S. Women's National Team and the Canadian Women's National Team each punched their tickets to Rio with semifinal victories in the CONCACAF Women's Olympic Qualifying Championship.

Canada won the first semifinal with a 3-1 victory over Costa Rica on Friday, and the U.S. soon followed suit with a 5-0 win over Trinidad & Tobago. The two teams will meet in the championship match on Sunday, Feb. 21 at 2pm PT. The match will be televised live on NBC Universo and NBC Live Extra.

Incoming freshman Mal Pugh assisted on the United States' first goal of the game in the 12th minute, sprinting past a defending down the left flank and sending a cross to Tobin Heath, who was making a run into the box. Heath got to the ball and sent a left-footed shot into the right side of the net. The assist was Pugh's second of the tournament. She has played in all four games of the tournament so far, with two starts.

UCLA graduate Sam Mewis also played in the game, checking in as a substitute in the 60th minute. Mewis scored her first international goal in the final match of group play, a 10-0 win over Puerto Rico. She has seen in action in two games with one start.

Another incoming freshman, Jessie Fleming, helped Canada qualify for the Olympics, scoring a goal in the final match of group play, a 6-0 win over Trinidad & Tobago. Fleming has played in three games of the tournament, with one start.