Powers Tiffeny Milbrett Leads USA to Gold Cup Title
November 10, 2002 - Women's United Soccer Association (WUSA)
New York Power News Release
New York, NY â New York power forward Tiffeny Milbrett tallied the first game as team USA went on to defect Canada, 2-1, winning the 2002 CONCACAF Women's Gold Cup. The game was won in dramatic fashion with a 94th minute "golden goal" from Mia Hamm in sudden death overtime on a wet, soggy field at the Rose Bowl.
The USA struck first with a remarkable goal from Milbrett in the 27th minute. The sequence started when Aly Wagner played a pass into Kristine Lilly's path on the left wing. Lilly beat the speedy Candace Chapman around the corner and whipped a cross into the middle for Milbrett, who was making a hard lateral run across the six-yard box. Milbrett beat Silvana Burtini to the ball and fired a beautiful first-time volley with her left foot over Karina LeBlanc and into the roof of the net. It was the 95th international goal of her career.
"She's a world class finisher and she proved that again tonight," said Hamm about Milbrett, who scored seven goals in the tournament despite playing just three total halves. Milbrett was named the Most Valuable Player of the Women's Gold Cup and shared tournament top scoring honors with Canada's Charmaine Hooper and Christine Sinclair, who both also scored seven times.
"It was an incredibly ball from (Kristine Lilly)," said Milbrett about her goal. "She had to beat that defender, took her on a good 20 yards down the field and got off a great cross. I delayed my run a little bit and it was a perfect ball, perfect timing."
The Canadian goal came in stoppage time of the first half was from a scramble in front of the U.S. net after Silvana Burtini's cross bounced off several Canadian players before popping free to Charmaine Hooper, who poked a soft shot that hit U.S. goalkeeper Briana Scurry's foot, then bounced back to Hooper, who cracked the rebound off Scurry and into the roof of the net from close range. It was Hooper's 10th career goal against the USA.
Joy Fawcett and Brandi Chastain, along with Wagner, Shannon MacMillan and Milbrett were all named to the Women's Gold Cup Best XI. Cindy Parlow was named Honorable Mention All-Tournament Team, while Milbrett was named Women's Gold Cup MVP.
It was the fifth regional title for the U.S. women, having won Women's World Cup Qualifying Tournaments in 1991 and 1994, both over Canada, a CONCACAF event in 1993 in New York, and the inaugural Women's Gold Cup in 2000. It was also the second title at the Rose Bowl following the historic penalty kick victory at the 1999 Women's World Cup.
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Women's United Soccer Association Stories from November 10, 2002
- Powers Tiffeny Milbrett Leads USA to Gold Cup Title - New York Power
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