The Wait Is Over

Epilogue

October

16th - Sam Mewis and Abby Dahlkemper exchanged wedding vows in front of family and friends at Buckingham Fountain in Chicago. They were joined in holy wedlock by Kristie and Stephanie McCaffrey, who renewed their vows from March, with Alyssa Naeher and Sofia Huerta standing up for the pair.

21st - At Yael's final appointment prior to inducing labor later that day, it was found that baby Deborah had died. Upon hearing the news, she asked Dr. Fleet to perform a C-section as opposed to inducing labor. Steph was given leave from the National Team to be with her partner and grieve their loss, with her expected to meet them in San Diego on November 2nd following their second group-stage match in Tijuana.

23rd - All eight countries in the 2022 CONCACAF Gold Cup began camp (Group A teams in San Diego, Group B teams in Tijuana).

29th - Mexico 3, Guatemala 0; Canada 2, Jamaica 0 (Group B)

30th - United States 5, Trinidad/Tobago 0; Costa Rica 1, Haiti 1 (Group A)

November

1st - Julie Johnston traded to Los Angeles for Shelina Zadorsky.

1st - Canada 1, Mexico 1; Jamaica 1, Guatemala 0 (Group B)

2nd - Steph, Yael, Kristie, and Abby arrived in San Diego; Canada came to San Diego for their third group-stage match vs. Guatemala.

2nd - United States 6, Haiti 0; Costa Rica 3, Trinidad/Tobago 0 (Group A)

5th - Canada 5, Guatemala 0 (Steph in net); United States 3, Costa Rica 1; Mexico 2, Jamaica 1; Haiti 2, Trinidad/Tobago 2.

9th - Canada 2, Costa Rica 0; United States 4, Mexico 1 (Gold Cup semifinals). Canada and United States qualify for 2023 Women's World Cup.

10th - While out with some of her US teammates, Rose Lavelle disparaged Yael and Steph for milking the attention surrounding their stillbirth and hit out at the latter for being two-faced concerning her interest in her.

13th - Costa Rica 0 Mexico 0 (CRC won on kicks, 3-2; took third CONCACAF spot in WWC 2023; MEX to two-leg playoff vs. Ireland for final berth).

*******

The 2022 Women's Gold Cup final was contested by the region's two biggest teams, number 1 USA and number 4 Canada. Before exiting their locker room, Rhian Wilkinson addressed her team and brought forth the rally cry for the day: Do It For Deb. Word of Rose Lavelle's remarks found their way to the Canadians on Friday morning and her Boston Breakers teammates were NOT happy about them, vowing to bring their own sense of justice to the pitch in the final. Every player was wearing a pink-and-blue armband and Shelina asked Steph to wear the captain's armband for today's match. In the tunnel, the United States and Canada's first XIs lined up, with Julie Johnston and Steph Labbe at the front. German referee Bibiana Steinhaus and her crew led the two teams out to the center circle. Following introductions and the national anthems, the two teams exchanged handshakes, with most of the Americans taking an extra second or two as Steph came down the line.

United States: Johnston (c), Naeher, Mewis, O'Hara, Horan, Lavelle, Gibbons, Sonnett, Sullivan, Dunn, Press.

Canada: Labbe (c), Chapman, Buchanan, Zadorsky, Quinn, Stratigakis, Lawrence, Pickett, Beckie, Fleming, Leon.

2' - Chapman clattered Lavelle near the center stripe on the sideline. Free kick, US.

6' - US shot from Horan deflected off Quinn, making for an easy save by Labbe.