Canada 2002: The USA go all the way

Champions: In a hotly contested, all-North American Final with hosts Canada it was the pre-tournament favourites USA who broke the hearts of their brave northern neighbours and 47,784 screaming fans in Edmonton's Commonwealth Stadium. A stunning golden-goal from American skipper Lindsay Tarpley was the only difference between the two sides in a nerve-wracking Final. Although Canada's dream had been destroyed, few heads hung low as the hosts' sparkling run through the competition captured the collective imagination of an entire nation and drew much-deserved attention to the inaugural FIFA U-19 Women's World Championship.

The side from the States were deservedly queens on the day. Their organisation and overwhelming efficiency blended in well with individual starlets like Lindsay Tarpley and Heather O'Reilly. In a magnificent run of form, the US ripped little Arsenal lass Ellen Maggs and her English associates to shreds (5-1), hopped all over the brave Aussies (4-0) and dismantled luckless Chinese Taipei (6-0). In light of their pulsating start, no one was particularly surprised when the US team demolished poor Denmark in the quarter-final (6-0) and a tough, determined German eleven in the Semis (4-1) before squeezing past the hosts in the Final.