USA has an easy time to beat Mexico in women's CONCACAF semifinal

AS IT TURNED out, Jill Ellis didn't need to answer why, in the biggest game of her short tenure as U.S. women's national team coach, she chose to make the greatest goal-scorer in USA history a healthy scratch from the starting lineup last night against Mexico in the semifinals of the CONCACAF Championship.

With Abby Wambach and her world-record 173 international goals sitting on the bench for 61 minutes, the United States got two early goals from Delran native Carli Lloyd and a second-half goal from Christen Press on its way to a comfortable 3-0 victory at PPL Park.

The victory puts the USA in CONCACAF championship game against Costa Rica tomorrow (6 p.m., FS1) but, most important, it lands the Americans a berth into the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup next summer in Canada.

Costa Rica earned a bid by beating Trinidad & Tobago on penalty kicks in the other semifinal.

"It's exciting although we are not completely done yet," U.S. captain Christie Rampone said. "We're in the World Cup, but we want to make sure we finish this tournament off right.

"We will focus on [Costa Rica], but it is exciting to know that we are in and can start the process now of getting better and getting ready for the World Cup."

While the United States and Costa Rica will play for the CONCACAF title, the third-place game between Mexico and Trinidad & Tobago has more intrigue, because that winner will earn the third automatic World Cup berth from the region.

The consolation game loser will play Ecuador in a home-and-home series for a trip to Canada.

Playing about 20 miles south of her hometown on the other side of the Delaware River, Lloyd was named the CONCACAF player of the match.

Ellis' decision to sit Wambach wasn't unprecedented. After scoring the decisive goal in the 1-0 opening win over Trinidad & Tobago, Wambach, who has 226 caps, did not play against Guatemala, before netting two goals in the Group A finale against Haiti.

Still, Wambach led the United States with 10 goals in 2014, and, with forward Alex Morgan already out after injuring her ankle against Guatemala, leaving a proven goal-scorer out of a match for a World Cup slot would have raised serious questions for Ellis, had things turned out differently.

But with Lloyd, Sydney Leroux, Christen Press and Megan Rapinoe also having scored at least five goals in 2014, scoring depth was not an issue.

"It's not just looking at games as how we start, but also looking at games as how we finish," said Ellis, who took over as national team coach in May. "I've said from Day 1 that we have a lot of depth.

"I think I can look at certain games and select tactics and personnel based on how I see the game or how I feel the game.

"Abby started last time, but tonight, just based on what I thought and what I felt, we wanted her to come off the bench. She's been fantastic with her role. On and off the field, she's been superb."

Wambach entered as a substitute for Leroux in the 62nd minute, to the screaming delight of the crowd. She nearly scored within 20 seconds of stepping onto the pitch.

To be honest, not starting Wambach was never going to be an issue of consequence for Ellis in this matchup.

Because Mexico is so far behind the United States, the female version of CONCACAF's most intense rivalry has little of the intrigue generated by a men's match.

Last night's victory was the third shut out the United States has dealt to Mexico since mid-September. The aggregate score is 15-0.

This game wasn't nearly as close as the final score might indicate. With a few inches here or there, the USA could have put up at least a half dozen goals.

Leroux hit the post and crossbar with shots, and Press was also denied by the post.

Mexico, which fell to 1-30-1 all-time against the USA, could do nothing against a relentless onslaught. El Tri did not manage to record one shot on goal.

"The goal was to try and keep the ball in front of us and try to disrupt the game," Mexico manager Leonardo Cuellar said. "But the United States started to go over the top of us, and you could see the quality of their passes."

Cuellar conceded that he had little faith in an upset and kept several of his top players out, so that they would be rested for the all-important third-place match for a World Cup bid.

"[The United States] could field two teams and have both finish in the top three, four or five in the World Cup. That's just a fact."