Alex Morgan scored in the final minute of extra time as the United States survived a hat-trick by Canada's Christine Sinclair and defeated their neighbors to the north, 4-3 in the Olympic semifinal at Old Trafford in Manchester, England Monday night. The win sets up a gold medal match with Japan that will also be a rematch of last year's Women's World Cup final.
The United States fell behind three times as Sinclair scored in the 22nd, 67th, and 73rd minute. But each time the U.S. responded. First, a corner kick by Megan Rapinoe snuck in at the near post in the 54th minute to tie the score at 1-1. Rapinoe tied the score again, this time at 2-2 in the 70th minute with a swinging shot that banged into the net off the inside of the post. Sinclair's hat trick goal, which put Canada up 3-2, was just a set-up to the drama at the end.
In the 78th minute, the U.S. was awarded an indirect free kick after Canadian goalie Erin McLeod was penalized for taking to long to restart play on a goal kick. From the resulting free kick Marie-Eve Nault was called for handball and Abby Wambach slotted home the resulting penalty to make the score, 3-3. That was the end of the scoring until Morgan stepped up in the game's final action.
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