VANCOUVER – Christine Sinclair scored two goals as Canada’s women’s soccer team qualified for the 2012 Summer Olympics on Friday night with a 3-1 victory over Mexico.
Canada, ranked seventh in the world, joined the top-ranked U.S. as the two CONCACAF representatives in the 12-team Olympic tournament in London. The U.S. beat Costa Rica 3-0 in Friday’s other semifinal.
Melissa Tancredi scored Canada’s other goal and assisted on both of Sinclair’s markers before a CONCACAF Olympic qualifying tournament record crowd of 22,054. Veronica Perez replied for Mexico.
Sinclair’s two goals were her 128th and 129th at the international level, moving her into a tie for third place all-time with current American star Abby Wambach.
Canada earned its second ticket to the Olympics. The Canadians lost to the U.S. in the 2008 Olympic quarter-finals in Beijing and settled for eighth place.
Canada ousted Mexico from the Games for the second straight quadrennial. The Canadians also beat the Mexicans in the 2008 Olympic qualifying semifinals.
