USA (2)2

Smith 31, Lingo 34

Chile (0)0

First half goals from Keli Smith and skipper Carrie Lingo gave the USA a hard-fought victory over Chile in the Women's Pan America Cup at the National Sports Centre yesterday.

The win keeps the US on course to reach their third consecutive final, with Argentina, who thrashed Trinidad and Tobago 7-1 on Saturday, and beat Canada 4-0 yesterday, their most likely opponents.

Having polished off Jamaica in clinical fashion on Saturday, the US faced a much tougher task yesterday, taking on a Chile side who came into the game on the back of a 6-1 win over Mexico.

Touted by some as possible finalists themselves, Chile made USA work for every one of the 70 minutes of yesterday's game.

In a rather scrappy opening neither side managed to really take control of the game, and although the US had much of the possession, they were continually frustrated by Chile's stout resistance in defence.

Sofia Walbaum did more than most to repel the US, blocking a Tiffany Sno shot on the line from a short corner, and made several last ditch tackles when it seemed likely that the US might finally breakthrough.

Chile pushed forward themselves on occasion, and from one such foray were caught out by a quick break from Snow, her pass sent Katie Reinprecht clear down the right, and she fired the ball across for Smith to tap in.

The US grabbed a second soon after, with Lingo quickest to react after a Rachel Dawson shot had come back off the post. That was it as far as the scoring went, with neither goalkeeper being seriously tested in the second half.

Lauren Powley might have added to her side's total, but fired just wide, and Smith should've grabbed a second when she found herself unmarked in front of goal, and missed.

In the end USA were well worth their win, and will now face Mexico on Tuesday night in the last of their Pool A matches.

"We have a good rivalry with Chile," said Lingo. "It's always good fun to play the girls, and a lot of the girls played alongside each other in college so it's always fun to go out and play them.

"It was a high tempo game. As with most of the teams here, everyone has all the fight in them and so you just have to keep playing until you hear the buzzer.

"We're doing really well, we're just going to go one game at a time. We have Mexico next, and then we'll work our way through the crossovers and hopefully we'll be in the final game."

USA: A Tran (GK), K Evans, J Gey, R Dawson, S Dawson, T Snow, S Silvetti, K Smith, C Lingo, C Nichols, C Laubach, K Bashore, L Crandall, L Powley, K Reinprecht.

Chile: C Schuler (GK), S Walbaum, J Villagra, P Infante, M Wilson, D Infante, F Rodriguez, MJ Fernandez, C Fingeruth, C Caram, C Varas, D Caram, C Infante, F Flores.

Umpires: W Stewart (Canada), HK Young (Korea).