Sounders FC

VANCOUVER, B.C. — The U.S. women's team avenged one of its most shocking losses Tuesday night, and did so emphatically.

A pair of early goals quickly put to rest any notion of another upset by Mexico, and the defense held firm in a 4-0 victory that clinched first place in the United States' group and put the team a major step closer to this year's London Olympics.

Carli Lloyd scored the first of her three goals in the seventh minute, and Heather O'Reilly made the score 2-0 two minutes later. Lloyd also scored in the 57th and 86th minutes as the Americans wrapped up group play with three victories by a combined score of 31-0.

U.S. goalkeeper Hope Solo, a former Washington Huskies standout from Richland, hasn't had to work especially hard for her three shutouts.

Next up is the game in this tournament that might matter most, a London-or-bust semifinal against Costa Rica on Friday. The winner gets one of the two available berths for the Olympics; the loser stays home.

The top-ranked U.S. team will be heavily favored. Costa Rica is ranked No. 41 in the world and has never beaten the United States. Had the United States lost to Mexico, it would have faced a much tougher semifinal against host Canada.

Instead, it will be Mexico versus Canada in a semifinal at BC Place that will produce the tournament's second Olympic qualifier.

Tuesday's victory also eased the sting from a 2-1 defeat against Mexico in Cancun in a World Cup qualifier 14 months ago, the only time in 28 tries the Mexicans have beaten the Americans. That loss forced the U.S. team into a backdoor playoff merely to qualify for the World Cup.