Kai, a Hawaii product, now has five goals in eight games. She finished a rebound off her own shot for her strike late in the second half. Abby Wambach's penalty kick had given the USA a halftime lead. The U.S. women improved their overall 2006 record to 9-0-3.
''Nobody could say that this was an artistic game today,'' said U.S. coach Greg Ryan. ''It was just a scrap and a battle. Credit Canada, they fought very, very hard, and I feel like our players matched their intensity and fortunately we were able to put a couple away.''
July 30 in Cary, N.C.
USA 2 Canada 0.
Goals: Wambach (pen.) 45, Kai 80.
USA - Solo, Chalupny, Whitehill, Frimpong, (LePeilbet, 46), Mitts; 12-Osborne, Miller, Wagner (Lloyd, 66), Welsh (Kai, 46), OÆReilly (Rapinoe, 82), Wambach.
Canada - McLeod, Latham, Booth, Nonen, Hermus (Jamani, 66), Schmidt (Neil, 61), Walsh, Timko (Cicchini, 55), Sinclair, Franko, Hooper.
Referee: Sandra Serafini
Att.: 5,292