San Jose, Costa Rica March 4th., 2004

Even Pellerud is at a loss to explain why Canada's women's soccer team failed to deliver when it mattered the most. Canada lost out on a berth for the Summer Olympics, upset 2-1 by Mexico yesterday in the semifinals of the CONCACAF Olympic women's qualifying tournament. Maribel Dominguez scored both of Mexico's goals on the dry pitch at the near-empty Estadio Nacional, capitalizing on a couple of miscues by a Canadian defence that looked shaky all game long. "I'm not sure yet," Pellerud said when asked what went wrong for Canada. "As coaches, we were surprised by our poor start to the game.

"We did everything to prepare the team for what Mexico does and doesn't do and yet we didn't play well. Mexico did not do anything to surprise us; in fact, they didn't really play a good game. We just underperformed."

The loss is a crushing blow for Canada's soccer program, which hasn't had a team at the Olympics since the men's squad at Los Angeles in 1984. And it's a rare setback for Pellerud, whose team had been expected to shine on the Olympic stage. "It's not a performance we're proud of. Our team is devastated," he said. "There are some players on our team who realize this could be their last chance" at playing in an Olympic competition. The Canadian under-23 men also failed to qualify.

The women's team, however, had breathed new life into the flagging Canadian soccer program with a fourth-place finish at last summer's women's World Cup, and a silver medal at the 2002 world under-19 championships in Edmonton. Under the old rules -- top seven at the World Cup, plus the host country -- Canada would have earned an Olympic berth. But the rules were changed in favour of regional qualifying tournaments. The U.S. booked its ticket to the Games with a comfortable 4-0 win over Costa Rica in the second semifinal. The second-ranked Americans outshot the host side 20-1 with goals from Aly Wagner, Abby Wambach, Kristine Lilly and Shannon Boxx.

Athens will mark the third time the women's game has been showcased at the Olympics.

The Canadian women, ranked No. 11 in the world, had beaten the 30th-ranked Mexicans in all 10 of their previous meetings, by a 38-4 goal advantage. But from the opening kickoff yesterday, it was clear Canada was in for a tough afternoon. The speedy Mexican forwards caught the Canadian defenders on their heels and Canada's offence didn't apply any real pressure until the last few minutes of the game. Dominguez scored in the 25th minute, sprinting onto a long ball past Canada's backline to fire a shot into the right corner past 'keeper Karina LeBlanc of Maple Ridge, B.C. The goal marked the first time Canada had trailed in all the tournament. "Even after Dominguez scored her first goal, there still was not a sense of urgency from our team," Pellerud said. "It took 75 minutes before we tried to do something about it." Dominguez added her second in the 60th minute, racing to a ball deflected by a Canadian defender and scoring with a right-footed blast into the top right corner.

Aysha Jamani put Canada on the scoreboard in the 83rd minute, dribbling around a Mexican defender to fire a right-footed shot from 20 yards out over 'keeper Jennifer Molina. It was the sixth goal of the tournament for the 16-year-old. Canada had a number of scoring chances. In the 14th minute, veteran Charmaine Hooper, alone in front of the Mexican net, stretched to reach a ball but tipped it over the top. Canada had another terrific chance in the 45th minute when Molina dropped the ball in the goalmouth, but the Canadians couldn't get a foot on it.

Hooper had another chance in the 75th minute with a shot off a scramble in the goalmouth but the attempt was scooped up by Molina. And Christine Sinclair sent a nice cross in front of the net in the 83rd minute but no Canadian was there to finish.

Editor: Pellerud is smoking something. The obvious signs of incompetence were evident when watching any of the Canadians' games. The team cannot pass, no nothing about tactics, and are otherwise merely tall and strong. This is not uncommon, because all of the people I talk to agree that only the Japanese and Koreans show some skill with the ball. Something to do with compensating for lack of height. But they certainly can pass the ball.

What Canada needs is a school to teach them ball control, seeing the game, and passing. They should be watching Arsenal on video. That would help.