The U.S. women are three-time defending Olympic gold medalists and have won four of the five gold medals in women’s soccer. (Getty Images)
Three-time defending Olympic gold medalists USA will face Puerto Rico, Mexico and Costa Rica in Group A of CONCACAF women’s Olympic qualifying in February in Frisco, Texas. The USWNT are always one of the favourites to win any tournament they enter, and if you are placing bets on the Olympic qualifying then you can use your bet365 bonus code to back the USA to comfortably qualify again.
Canada will play Guatemala, Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago in Group B in Houston, Texas.
The draw for the tournament took place on Monday in Miami. The qualifying tournament will take place from Feb. 10-21 in Texas. The top two teams at the eight-team tournament will qualify for the Rio 2016 Olympics.
Canada and the United States played in one of the greatest soccer games of all-time in the semifinals of the London 2012 Olympics, with the U.S. prevailing, 4-3 in extra time on a 123rd minute goal by Alex Morgan, the latest goal ever scored in a FIFA competition. The U.S. went on to beat Japan in the final, and Canada beat France to earn the bronze medal.
Canada, Mexico and the U.S. earned automatic bids to the qualifying tournament as part of the “Northern Zone.” Costa Rica and Guatemala won the sub-qualifying event for Central America.
Guyana and Puerto Rico are first-time participants. They join Trinidad and Tobago from the Caribbean zone. Guyana upset Jamaica last week to earn a ticket to the final stage of the tournament.
Garabet Avedissian is now the coach of Puerto Rico. He built up the Costa Rican women’s national team and helped them qualify for the Women’s World Cup for the first time last fall but left his post for the Puerto Rico job before the start of the World Cup. The two teams will play in Group A in Frisco.
Mexico is the only team from CONCACAF other than the United States and Canada to have ever qualified for the Olympics. El Tri finished eight at the 2004 Olympics.
Rosters for Olympic qualifying are 20 players per team. Olympic rosters still remain at 18 players per team.
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2016 CONCACAF Women’s Olympic Qualifying Championship Schedule
Frisco, Texas – Toyota Stadium
Houston, Texas – BBVA Compass Stadium
Times U.S. Central (U.S. Eastern in parentheses)
FIRST ROUND
Group A: USA, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Costa Rica
Group B: Canada, Guatemala, Trinidad & Tobago, Guyana
Wednesday, Feb. 10 (Frisco)
Puerto Rico vs. Mexico 5 p.m. (6 p.m.)
USA vs. Costa Rica 7:30 p.m. (8:30 p.m.)
Thursday, Feb. 11 (Houston)
Guatemala vs. Trinidad & Tobago 5 p.m. (6 p.m.)
Canada vs. Guyana 7:30 p.m. (8:30 p.m.)
Saturday, Feb. 13 (Frisco)
Costa Rica vs. Puerto Rico 12:30 p.m. (1:30 p.m.)
USA vs. Mexico 3 p.m. (4 p.m.)
Sunday, Feb. 14 (Houston)
Guyana vs. Guatemala 12:30 p.m. (1:30 p.m.)
Trinidad vs. Canada 3 p.m. (4 p.m.)
Monday, Feb. 15 (Frisco)
Mexico vs. Costa Rica 5 p.m. (6 p.m.)
USA vs. Puerto Rico 7:30 p.m. (8:30 p.m.)
Tuesday, Feb. 16 (Houston)
Trinidad & Tobago vs. Guyana 5 p.m. (6 p.m.)
Canada vs. Guatemala 7:30 p.m. (8:30 p.m.)
SEMIFINALS
Friday, Feb. 19 (Houston)
Group B winner vs. Group A runner-up 4:30 p.m. (5:30 p.m.)
Group A winner vs. Group B runner-up 7:30 p.m. (8:30 p.m.)
FINAL
Sunday, Feb. 21 (Houston)
Semifinal winners 4 p.m. (5 p.m.)
