Women's Olympic football: Canada beat USA to reach final

Last update on. From the section OlympicsCanada defeated the world champions, the United States by a 1-0 score at the Kashima Stadium to reach the final of the Olympic women’s football tournament in Tokyo 2020.After substitute Deanne Rose was fouled inside the box, Jessie Fleming won the penalty spot.For the second consecutive Games, the USA failed to make it to the final.In Friday's gold-medal match, the Canucks will face either Australia or Sweden.Vlatko andonovski's US team was the favourites to win the tournament. They will be competing for bronze against the winner of the second semifinal.Beverly Priestman's team is guaranteed at least silver in Tokyo. This means that Quinn, a midfielder for Quinn, will be the first transgender Olympic medalist. Canada and Quinn won bronze at Rio 2016, before Quinn was announced in September 2020.Canada won with the only shot they had on target to defeat their neighbours, for the first time since March 2001.Referee Kateryna Montzul initially missed Davidson's foul against Rose, but after video assistant referee (VAR), showed that the Canadian had been kicked while they were both trying to get a loose ball, the Ukrainian pointed out the pot.Adrianna Franch, substitute goalkeeper, was right to make the correct guess. Fleming however found the bottom corner for Fleming's 75-minute winner.Franch replaced Alyssa Neher, the US's first choice, in the 30th minute. This was just after Naeher had been challenged by Nichelle Prince and had fallen awkwardly on the heels of the hero of the quarter-final penalty shootout victory over the Netherlands.The US held dominance in possession during the second half. They had six shots on goal, but could not get past goalkeeper Stephanie Labbe.Megan Rapinoe (36), forward said that it was "sucks." It was just not there today. We made too many mistakes again. We don't want to lose Canada. I don't believe I've ever lost Canada. It's a bitter pill."I have been thinking about the tournament all day and it just wasn't in me that I feel like we had that same energy as we do every day."