USWNT-Canada score: USA fail to win gold medal, fall to Canada after late penalty in women's soccer semifinals

USWNT will play for bronze after they were unable to overcome their rivals in the semifinals

For the second Olympics in a row the United States women's national team won't win gold. Canada defeated the United States 1-0 in the semifinals Monday morning to send the USWNT to the bronze medal match. Jessie Flemming recorded the lone goal for Canada, a penalty kick conversion in the 75th minute.

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The two Concacaf rivals played a choppy and physical first half to begin the semifinal. As the USWNT attempted to come out on the front foot and establish tempo early, Canada got more involved in disrupting their midfield, frustrating Lindsey Horan and isolating Julie Ertz at times. After the initial fifteen minutes, Canada played themselves into the match and pinned the USWNT back, though a different game changing moment occurred in the 20th minute.

Alyssa Naeher was subbed out of the game after making a play on the ball in the box and injuring herself on the landing. After the match manager Vlatko Andonovski confirmed that she injured her knee, but they don't know the extent of the injury yet. And The U.S. number one did make an attempt to try and play, but needed to sub out and made way for Adrianna Franch in net. The disjointed play continued as the two sides close out the first half 

The United States didn't make any immediate substitutions to start the half, and played another active opening fifteen minutes, and recorded their first shot on goal from Carli Lloyd just past the hour mark. The turning point of the match however occurred in the 75th minute. After a VAR confirmation of an incident in the box between Canadian substitute Deanne Rose and U.S. center back Tierna Davidson, a penalty kick opportunity was presented. 

Franch guessed correctly and positioned herself against the attempt, but Canadian midfielder Jessie Flemming converted the penalty and Canada closed out the remaining final minutes of the match to secure their place in the Olympic final.

Team USA will have an opportunity to play for a bronze medal on Aug. 5 and will face Australia, who lost their semifinal match to Sweden. After the match Megan Rapinoe made sure to emphasize how special any Olympic medal would be, even a bronze.

USWNT all-time Olympic Soccer results 

• 1996 Atlanta: Gold (defeated China in final)
• 2000 Sydney: Silver (lost to Norway in final)
• 2004 Athens: Gold (defeated Brazil in final)
• 2008 Beijing: Gold (defeated Brazil in final)
• 2012 London: Gold (defeated Japan in final)
• 2016 Rio: Fifth Place (lost to Sweden in quarterfinals)
• 2020 Tokyo: Third or fourth place (lost to Canada in semifinals)  

USA 0, Canada 1 (Final)

Canada ⚽: Jessie Fleming 75' (Penalty)

[Aug 2, 2021 at 6:20 am ET · Mike Goodman]

Final Score USA 0, Canada 1

After going behind the United States were able to ratchet up the pressure, but while they sent a constant stream of crosses in they resulted in very few clear chances to tie the match. Carli Lloyd turned one contested cross into a bullet header that rattled the cross bar, but other than that it was mostly tame efforts from the USWNT who will now play for bronze.

[Aug 2, 2021 at 5:32 am ET · Mike Goodman]

Close from the United States. Julie Ertz gets a near post header on goal from a corner. The USWNT has used that set play routine a lot this tournament, firing the ball near post to Ertz. They scored once when she headed it on to Horan at the back post. This time she opted to put it on net herself, and forced a good save from Labbe.

[Aug 2, 2021 at 5:29 am ET · Mike Goodman]

We finally have a shot on target from the USWNT! Only took 65 minutes. It came from Saurbrunn initiating the attacking by splitting the lines before eventually Horan slipped a deflected pass to Lloyd. Labbe saved comfortably putting it over the bar...but it's still more than either team have managed so far.

[Aug 2, 2021 at 5:24 am ET · Mike Goodman]

And here comes the hockey style line change from the United States with Megan Rapinoe, Carli Lloyd and Christen Press coming on for Williams, Morgan and Heath. The full attacking line change didn't really pay dividends against the Netherlands but it's been the USWNT strategy all tournament and they're sticking with it. Rapinoe looked leggy in the quarterfinals and gave Dunn very little defensive protection on the left flank so that will be something to watch out for here.

[Aug 2, 2021 at 5:16 am ET · Sandra Herrera]

A better tempo from USWNT to open the second half here, more patient on the ball, and trying to connect on passes. The team is winning second balls, and pressing better with a good sequence between Heath and  Williams in front of goal after eight minutes tick past into the second 45 minutes.

[Aug 2, 2021 at 5:16 am ET · Mike Goodman]

For the second half in a row the United States starts strong, pushing high up the filed and pressing Canada. This side is at their best when they use their defense to get the ball in the attacking half, rather than having to work the ball through midfield themselves. Even when they are patient using possession, they aim to push teams back first so their center backs can get on the ball in the attacking half, and the attackers and midfielders can push high up the pitch. They simply don't want to have the midfielders dropping deep and interchanging. When the defensive press is working that's fine, when it isn't opposing teams can slow them down as has happened a number of times this tournament.

[Aug 2, 2021 at 5:07 am ET · Mike Goodman]

As the second half kicks off, the question is can either team fight through the obvious fatigue to put dangerous attacks together. The United States has regularly rotated their attacking line, but if the first half performance is any indication they could use more dynamism and freshness in midfield. But with no Kristie Mewis or Catarina Macario on the bench there's only Sam Mewis, who will likely come on but has already played a lot of minutes this tournament. The core group of U.S. midfielders are going to have to dig deep and come up with something.

[Aug 2, 2021 at 4:44 am ET · Mike Goodman]

It's been an ugly first half. After a bright start for the USWNT they've found themselves pinned back by Canada, though at the same time they've conceded very little in terms of good scoring opportunities. In fact the match on the whole has only had three total shots. Lots of physical play, but very little actually stringing passes together. The match is clearly being played with a lot of intensity, but also with a lot of tired legs, and a lot of focus on breaking up play.

[Aug 2, 2021 at 4:30 am ET · Sandra Herrera]

After an attempt to play the ball Naeher takes a knee to signal for a sub. Franch is set to come into the game, it'll likely be her Olympics from here on out.

[Aug 2, 2021 at 4:27 am ET · Sandra Herrera]

After a lengthy amount of time passes, Naeher is back up and giving it a go back in net. Adrianne Franch is warmed up on the sideline in the event Naeher needs to come out.

[Aug 2, 2021 at 5:36 am ET · Mike Goodman]

Alyssa Naeher injury

An extended period of pressure for Canada following the strong United States start and it might result in a disaster for quarterfinal hero Alyssa Naeher who is down after coming for (and getting to) a cross. She landed awkwardly and has stayed down as Adrianna Franch warms up on the sideline. Naeher at least initially tried to persevere through what seems like a knee injury. After trying to take a goal kick, however, it's clear she needs to come off and the U.S. is forced to use a substitution. It's a test now for Franch, and for the team as a whole who will also be without a substitution later on as they implement the aggressive attacking rotation strategy flavored by Andonovski.

[Aug 2, 2021 at 4:23 am ET · Sandra Herrera]

Stoppage of play as USWNT's goal keeper Alyssa Naeher is down getting treatment after what looks like hyper extending her knee.

[Aug 2, 2021 at 4:12 am ET · Mike Goodman]

Strong front-footed start for the USWNT here. Both Kelley O'Hara and Crystal Dunn have gotten up the field early, taking advantage of Canada's more diamond shaped midfield which leaves space out wide. We haven't seen Dunn dominate a match yet at these Olympics, could Canada's choices give her the chance to exploit space and attack the box today?

[Aug 2, 2021 at 4:07 am ET · Mike Goodman]

With Lindsey Horan taking a whack early and staying down, it's worth noting that Sam Mewis is the only midfielder on the bench today for the United States. The strategy of rotating out the attacking line means that there are always at least three attackers on the bench, today it's Rapinoe, Press and Lloyd. Should the USWNT need more midfield depth after an injury or two, the next midfielder up after Sam Mewis would likely be either Carli Lloyd dropping in, or moving Crystal Dunn from left back into the attacking midfield role. It's not ideal and leaving Kristie Mewis out of the gameday squad is a gamble.

[Aug 2, 2021 at 3:58 am ET · Mike Goodman]

And we're about ready for kick off. There's still a sense we haven't seen the best out of this USWNT team this tournament over 90 (or 120) minutes. The first half against the Netherlands was close, but they faded badly in the second half and extra time. They remain the favorites for gold but this is a team that's either under performed, or is building towards peaking at the right time. Today will likely determine which story gets told about this team.