Alex Morgan on game-winning goal over Canada: "I'm still in shock"
(CBS/AP) Alex Morgan's looping header gave the U.S. women's soccer team a dramatic 4-3 overtime victory over Canada on Monday night and the 23-year-old Morgan says she still can't believe it.
"I'm still in shock," said Morgan during an on-field interview with NBC Sports Network after she scored the winning goal. "I was saying the whole time, 'I don't care who scores as long as someone friggin' scores and we win.'"
She gave the U.S. its first lead of the night in the third minute of injury time Monday, completing the win over Canada in the Olympic semifinals at Old Trafford.
Morgan's 6-yard header, on a long cross from Heather O'Reilly, looped high into the net over goalkeeper Erin McLeod for the winning goal. Megan Rapinoe scored in the 54th and 70th minutes, and Abby Wambach in the 80th for the U.S.
The game became a battle of attrition in extra time, with the Americans having the better of the chances. Wambach put a header off the crossbar in the 119th minute. The officials then declared there would be three minutes of injury time, just enough for Morgan to put one in and avoid the penalty kick shootout.
After the game, Morgan tweeted: "wow thank you everyone for all the support!! So proud of this team it's hard to even put into words... wow i love this team."
Morgan first joined the U.S. women's senior team in 2009 while still in college. Despite her youth, she has played a crucial role in several big matches, including scoring a goal and providing an assist against Japan in the 2011 World Cup final. Although the U.S. lost that game, they will need her deft scoring touch in the gold medal round, when Morgan and her teammates take on Japan again.