Los 40 USA
NewslettersSign in to commentAPP
spainSPAINchileCHILEcolombiaCOLOMBIAusaUSAmexicoMEXICOlatin usaLATIN USAamericaAMERICA

USWNT 0 - 1 Canada: score, goals, highlights, Tokyo 2021

Update:
KASHIMA, JAPAN - AUGUST 02: Jessie Fleming #17 of Team Canada celebrates after scoring their side's first goal during the Women's Semi-Final match between USA and Canada on day ten of the Tokyo Olympic Games at Kashima Stadium on August 02, 2021

USWNT 0-1 Canada: as it happened

FT

Peeep peeep peeep! It's all over in Kashima! Canada have beaten the USWNT for the first time in two decades, and are into their first ever Olympic final.

After a pretty even first half, the US had the better of it after the break, but Jessie Fleming's penalty with a quarter of an hour to go is the difference between the teams.

Until Rio 2016, the US had never failed to reach the final of the Olympics soccer tournament, but having finished fifth five years ago, they'll have to content themselves with bronze at best in Japan.

As for Canada, they'll meet one of Australia or Sweden in Friday's final at the Japan National Stadium in Tokyo. Having managed bronze in 2012 and 2016, they now have the chance for a maiden Olympic gold.

That's all from me - thanks for reading!

93

Horan gets to the byline on the right, spins and fizzes a cut-back towards the penalty spot. Her ball is spanked behind for a corner, and up comes Franch for Rapinoe's delivery.

Canada deal with it, though. Labbé eventually gathers after the corner was initially cleared.

92

The USWNT throw it into the box, but Canada clear with not too much fuss.

Back come the US, but Ertz is penalised for a foul on Leon just inside the Canadian half, and Bev Priestman's side will eat up a few precious seconds with this free-kick.

90

Canada make another change, and, curiously, it's a substitute who's being replaced. Rose comes off for Adriana Leon.

Four minutes of time added on.

87

Canada captain Christine Sinclair comes off for Jordyn Huitema.

86

Lloyd hits the bar! From the left wing, Rapinoe whips over a fine cross right onto the forward's head, but she nods it just too high and it bounces off the woodwork and out! Inches away from an equaliser for the US.

84

Beckie gets the ball out of her feet and shoots from 20 yards, but directs her effort straight at Franch.

The introduction of Mewis for O'Hara meant the US changed to a back three, by the way.

82

Mewis challenges for a high ball in the Canada box, before it drops to Press, who tries to flick it on. She only manages to turn it straight into Labbe's arms, though.

The US seem to have very few answers to that Canada goal.

81

The US make another change, Samantha Mewis replacing O'Hara.

77

Canada haven't beaten the US in over 20 years - not since March 2001.

Rapinoe turns the ball across the Canada goal, but can't prevent it from going out and it's a goal kick.

74

Fleming takes... and beats Franch! Canada lead! She wheels away in understandably wild celebration.

The Canadians are a quarter of an hour away from a famous victory over the US and qualification for the Olympic final for the first time!

72

Hello... Referee Kateryna Monzul has been called over to look at a possible penalty, after Rose appears to be caught by Davidson in the box as the pair challenged for the ball.

Monzul takes a look at it, and points to the spot!

Canada have been second best in this second 45, but they now have a chance to take the lead!

70

The USWNT are bossing this second half. Horan looks to wriggle herself into shooting space on the edge of the box, before being crowded out and feeding it wide to Rapinoe, whose left-footed ball into the danger area is cleared.

Press then picks the ball up and charges into space to shoot some 20 yards out, but directs her strike too close to Labbé.

67

Rapinoe is fouled by Lawrence on the left wing, and stands over the set piece. Her ball into the box is too close to Labbé, but the Canada goalkeeper decides to punch rather than collecting it, and the US win a corner.

Rapinoe also takes this one - and Ertz forces another save from Labbé! The midfielder flicked it on towards the near top corner, but the keeper was there to parry.

Moments later, Horan heads a looping cross down towards goal, but Labbé gathers without too much difficulty.

65

There's the clearest shooting chance so far! Horan and Press combine just outside the Canada area, before working it to Lloyd in space on the left-hand edge of the box. She digs out a first-time shot that Labbé tips over! It was fairly centrally hit, so it would have gone down as a Labbé blunder if it had gone in.

63

O'Hara again drives forward and into space to cross from the right, but she slices her delivery and the ball flies straight into Labbé's arms.

At the other end, Rose gets her first opportunity in attack for the Canadians, but her attempt to turn the ball across the US goal is cut out by Davidson.

60

Canada make a double substitution, replacing Quinn and Prince with Julia Grosso and Deanne Rose.

Meanwhile the US make a triple change, bringing Megan Rapinoe, Christen Press and Carli Lloyd on for Heath, Morgan and Williams.

58

Horan wins the US another corner, which Davidson delivers more dangerously this time. Sinclair heads away, but the Americans come right back at Canada, Dunn barrelling into the box and firing a low ball across goal. A red shirt is there again to clear, though, and Horan heads the resulting corner off target.

We're still waiting for a really gilt-edged chance in this match.

56

Dunn wins a corner off Scott, but Davidson's ball is too close to Labbé.

54

Canada enjoy a spell in the US half, but when Fleming tries to carve out a yard or two of crossing space on the right wing, she can only miscontrol the ball out for a throw-in under the close attentions of Dunn.

51

Having ended the first half on the front foot, the US have started the second with the same attacking purpose. Dunn fires a powerful left-wing cross to Morgan in the middle, but the forward can't get high enough and only succeeds in flicking the ball on to nobody.

Moments later, Heath's flick almost releases Williams into space in the Canadian box, but it's slightly overhit.

Peeep! We're back underway in Kashima.

No half-time changes for either team.

HT

Peeep peeep peeeep! We're still to see a truly clear-cut scoring chance in Kashima, where it's been pretty even. Canada have arguably edged it on points thus far.

50

Davidson delivers a corner from the right, but Ertz can't turn her near-post cross goalwards.

48

The US enjoy a prolonged period of possession in the Canada half. First, Heath cuts inside from the left and lets fly, only to see her effort blocked by Scott. Back come the Americans, Williams crossing from the left to find Morgan at the back post, but her header is well off target.

45

Ertz plays a poor ball to Horan, who can't control 30 yards out from the US goal. Beckie latches on to the loose ball, but her pass out to the left to Prince is overhit, and the chance is lost.

There'll be six minutes of time added on at the end of the first half in Kashima, mostly owing to the pause while Naeher received treatment for her knee injury.

42

Morgan is down and in some pain after a late tackle by Quinn, which, slightly surprisingly, doesn't appear to have been punished with a yellow card. Morgan is up and on her feet quickly enough, though, and seems like she'll be OK.

40

O'Hara is producing some fine deliveries from the right, and whips in a wicked ball to the back post. Morgan rises highest to meet it, but can only direct her effort well over the bar. That's better from the US, though. They haven't offered much in attack since their promising early period.

38

Lawrence fires a high ball over the top down the right wing and into the US box. Beckie gives chase and is very close to getting there ahead of Davidson, who reaches the ball only a split second before the Canada forward.

35

Chapman sends a low, powerful cross into the US box from the left. The Americans get it clear, but they've been distinctly second best for the last 15-odd minutes.

32

O'Hara is booked for a very late challenge on Prince.

Canada deliver a corner kick into the box from the right, which Prince meets with a header that flashes a good few yards wide. Gilles was actually in a better position behind the forward, and looks very frustrated at having the ball nicked off her head.

30

Naeher can't continue. She winces with pain staight after taking a goal kick, and signals to the bench that she'll have to be replaced.

On comes Franch.

28

Ertz can't control Heath's inside ball, which is hit with a bit too much pace on it, and Canada suddenly have a chance to run at a back-pedalling USWNT backline. It's worked out to the right to Fleming, who is very well shepherded out wide by Davidson and is eventually forced into a misplaced pass that allows the Americans to clear.

25

After testing her knee out with the USWNT medical staff, Naeher is going to try and continue.

23

Naeher is still receiving treatment. This doesn't look good at all. She landed very awkwardly on her knee. Substitute goalkeeper Adrianna Franch is warming up pretty vigorously and looks like she'll be coming on.

19

Canada are looking very bright in attack now. Fleming bustles towards the US box before feeding a low through ball into Prince's run. She turns on the byline and tries to cut it back, but her pull-back is diverted out for a corner.

The corner is initially cleared, but Canada come charging back at the USWNT, Fleming digging out a high cross from the right that Naeher claims just ahead of Prince, before landing awkwardly on her knee.

She's in some pain and needs medical attention.

16

Canada are coming back at the US now. Beckie pings a delicious low cross towards the near post from the right, but Prince has the ball nicked off her toes as she prepares to turn it into the net.

13

For the first time in a few minutes, Canada get themselves back over the halfway line. Twice they almost get Prince into shooting positions in the US penalty box, but the striker can't quite reach the first through ball, and is well tackled by Sauerbrunn as she attempts to latch on to the second.

At the other end, Gilles almost allows Morgan to run in on Labbé after producing a swing-and-a-miss in her attempts to clear the ball.

10

It's all USWNT at the moment. O'Hara again gets into crossing space on the right, delivering a low ball that Buchanan can only clear as far as Heath on the penalty spot. The ball sits up for her to hit, but she hooks her effort well wide! A very decent chance for the US, that.

9

O'Hara heads a left-wing corner back across goal, where Lavelle has two bites at the cherry but can't get a clean strike on the ball. It then falls to Ertz, who sends a shot off target.

Moments later, Dunn cuts inside from the left and looks to fizz a low ball to Morgan, who has peeled off into space on the right-hand side of the box, but her pass is cut out.

6

Lawrence leaves Horan in a heap on the turf after giving her a right old wallop in the back as the pair challenged for an aerial ball. A free-kick to the US some 40 yards out and, looking slightly dazed, Horan is finally back up on her feet.

Heath delivers into the penalty area, but Canada clear. US ball it remains, though, and they recycle it out to O'Hara on the right. She whips a dangerous cross into the six-yard box, but Gilles is well placed to head behind, and the corner comes to nought.

3

It's all USWNT ball in the Canada half for around the first 90 seconds or so, before the Canadians combine neatly to break the American press and mount their first forward foray.

Sinclair looks to slip Prince into space on the left-hand side of the US box, but her pass is overhit and it's out for a US goal kick.

Peeeep! Underway in Kashima.

Our match referee is Ukrainian Kateryna Monzul.

Teams out!

The two teams have taken to the field at Kashima Stadium, where it's anthems time. The US first.

USWNT and Canada's third Olympics meeting

This will be the USWNT and Canada’s 62nd meeting of all time - and the US have had the upper hand so far, it’s fair to say. They have won 51 and lost just three against the Canadians since their first match-up back in 1986.

When it comes to the Olympics, the teams have met twice before at the Games, with the USWNT coming out on top in both clashes. A 2-1 American victory in the quarter-finals at Beijing 2008 was followed by a 4-3 triumph in a thrilling semi-final at London 2012.

USMNT claim Gold Cup glory

As the United States women's team go for gold in Japan, the United States men's national team added to their trophy cabinet on Sunday night, beating Mexico in Las Vegas to win the Gold Cup for the seventh time.

Miles Robinson's extra-time goal was the difference between the sides.

More on the USMNT's Gold Cup triumph

25 years since USWNT's first Olympic gold

Sunday was the 25th anniversary of the first time the USWNT won gold at the Olympics, when goals by Shannon McMillan and Tiffeny Milbrett earned the Stars and Stripes a 2-1 victory over China in the gold-medal match at Atlanta '96, the first Games to witness a women's soccer tournament.

The USWNT went on to win four of the first five Olympic competitions - adding gold in 2004, 2008 and 2012 - but five years ago in Rio failed to medal at the Games for the first time ever.

As for Canada, they have won bronze at the past two Olympics, having finished eighth at their maiden Games in 2008.

Morgan

Three changes for USWNT, as you were for Canada

USWNT head coach Vlatko Andonovski makes three changes to the team that started the Stars and Stripes’ penalty shoot-out win over the Netherlands in the quarter-finals, Tierna Davidson, Rose Lavelle and Alex Morgan coming into the side.

Meanwhile, Canada are unchanged from the team that also qualified for the semi-finals on penalties. The Canadians edged out Brazil on spot-kicks after a goalless draw in Rifu.

(Photo: SHINJI AKAGI / AFP)

Canada team news

Starting line-up: Labbé, Lawrence, Gilles, Buchanan, Chapman, Scott, Fleming, Quinn, Sinclair, Beckie, Prince

USWNT team news

Starting line-up: Naeher, O’Hara, Sauerbrunn, Davidson, Dunn, Lavelle, Ertz, Horan, Heath, Morgan, Williams

USWNT vs Canada: welcome

Hello! Welcome to our live coverage of the first semi-final in the women's Olympic soccer tournament, as the United States face Canada for the right to meet Australia or Sweden in Friday's gold-medal match.

Kick-off is in just under an hour's time, at 4am EDT (sheesh). The teams are in, so let's get straight to that!