USWNT gets revenge over Canada and secures spot in 2024 Olympics

Alex Morgan converted a penalty in the 78th minute as the U.S. beat Canada, 1-0, on Monday night in Mexico to win the CONCACAF W Championship.

Why it matters: The victory secured a spot in the 2024 Olympics and helped the U.S. get revenge on their neighbors to the north.

• This was a rematch of the Olympic semifinal a year ago in Tokyo, which Canada won 1-0 on a late penalty.
• That marked Canada's first win over the U.S. in 20 years, and they went on to win gold, while the Americans took bronze.

By the numbers: The USWNT has won 33 straight World Cup or Olympic qualifying matches, and it's been 4,274 days (!!!) since they've allowed a goal in CONCACAF play.

The big picture: America owns CONCACAF — that much is clear. But with international women's soccer tournaments taking place around the world this month, the USWNT is being judged on a global scale.

• The Euro tournament, happening now in England, has shown just how talented the continent's best teams are as they battle it out in a field the U.S. simply can't get in CONCACAF.
• ESPN recently ranked the world's 50 best women's soccer players, and the U.S. had six (down from 11 the year prior) and just one in the top 10 (down from three).

Looking ahead: With the next Women's World Cup almost exactly a year away, the gap that once existed between the U.S. and other top countries could be closing.

Go deeper: Watch out USWNT, the Europeans are coming (The Ringer)