LONDON, Aug 3 (Reuters) - The United States, chasing a third
successive Olympic gold, will meet neighbours Canada in the
semi-finals of the women's soccer tournament while France meet
world champions Japan after all four convincingly won their
quarter-finals on Friday.
Hosts Britain, whose performances have captivated huge home
crowds in their first Olympics, bowed out after losing 2-0 to
Canada in Coventry where Jonelle Filigno and skipper Christine
Sinclair put Canada in control with goals in the first 25
minutes.
The U.S. were too strong for New Zealand, beating them 2-0
at Newcastle's St James' Park; Japan had the measure of Brazil
beating them 2-0 in Cardiff's Millennium Stadium, while France
came from behind to beat Sweden 2-1 at Hampden Park, Glasgow.
The United States and Japan will start Monday's semis as
favourites to get through to Thursday's final at Wembley in what
would be a repeat of last year's World Cup final in Frankfurt,
Germany which Japan won on penalties.
The U.S. will play neighbours Canada at Old Trafford on
Monday while Japan and France will meet each other at Wembley.
U.S. DOMINATE
Goals in each half from Abby Wambach, her 142nd
international goal, and Canadian-born substitute Sydney Leroux,
gave the U.S. victory.
Wambach opened the scoring in the 27th minute when she slid
in at the back post to score her fourth goal in as many games at
the tournament.
They made sure of victory three minutes from time when
Leroux, who played for both Canada and the U.S. in youth
internationals, fired home.
U.S. coach Pia Sundhage said she was not worried her team
wasted so many scoring chances.
"As long as we create chances, when you look back and see
the way we played for 90 minutes, then you get confidence
despite not putting the chances away."
Japan weathered a bright start by Brazil and gradually took
control of the game after Yuki Ogimi scored in the 26th minute.
Shinobu Ohno struck an excellent second goal high into the roof
of the net with 18 minutes to play,
Coach Norio Sasaki was delighted with the performance.
"I think the players did a good job. It was our first time
playing against Brazil in a major tournament and the players
could have been fearful of them. But we knew their stamina would
decline in the second half, so I told the players to get the
ball forward quickly and it worked."
Britain's women, who attracted a record British crowd for a
womens match of 70,000 when they played Brazil at Wembley on
Tuesday had no answer to a superior Canada side.
"We were just not good enough tonight," said their coach
Hope Powell.
"All credit to Canada, they came at us and played very well
and we could not respond. But I am so proud of my team, we have
become history makers and made the country proud."
France, like Britain, playing in the Olympics for the first
time, avenged last year's defeat by Sweden in the third place
play-off at the World Cup with two goals from set-pieces from
Laura Georges and Wendie Renard at Hampden.
They cancelled out Nilla Fischer's 18th minute header for
the Swedes, strong favourites for a medal before the tournament
started.
(Reporting by Mike Collett and Simon Evans in Miami, editing by
Nigel Hunt)
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