Morgan’s Miracle: Extra Time Goal Sends U.S. To Gold Medal Match

FIFA has launched an investigation following Canada’s controversial 4-3 loss to the United States on Monday in the women’s soccer semifinal at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, but not the one you might be expecting. According to Canadian reports, the investigation is not into the numerous questionable calls that went against Canada, but rather into the conduct of Canadian players and coaches following the game.

Among the more inflammatory comments were those made by Canadian forward Christine Sinclair, whose hat-trick performance ended all for naught.

The United States and Canada played one of the more incredible matches in recent memory on Monday, which was only made better by the stage: the Olympic semifinals. It was a match chock full of great goals, near-misses, nail-biting and exhilarating moments that eventually saw the U.S. come away 4-3 winners in the 122nd minute of extra time. It was also a match full of dubious refereeing, and that is being kind.

From the very start, Christina Pedersen looked horribly out of her depth. She was regularly out of position, taking terrible angles and seemingly guessing with each blow of the whistle.

This match has been so awesome that they have to give us another 30 minutes. After 90 minutes filled with goals, drama, breathtaking play, mind-numbing strikes, near misses, awful refereeing and Christine Sinclair and Megan Rapinoe taking turns playing the role of “Most Interesting Woman in the World”, the United States and Canada are still tied so they will head to extra time at 3-3.

Put simply, this match has been pants on head crazy. There really is no other way to put it. Sinclair scored first, then Rapinoe answered with an Olimpico. Sinclaur would not stop there, though, scoring to put Canada back in front, but Rapinoe had one more great shot in her, ripping one off the post and in to tie things again. There was still more from Sinclair, too, who got her hat trick with yet another goal. Finally, a gift from the referee put Abby Wambach on the penalty spot and she converted to tie the match one more time and force extra time.

For those who don’t know what a six second call is, it does not mean you don’t watch much soccer. A goalkeeper is theoretically not allowed to hold a ball for more than six seconds, but they do dozens of times per match and it is never called. It might as well not be in the rulebook. But somehow, for some reason, this referee decided to call Erin McLeod for holding the ball for more than six seconds even though she didn’t hold it for that long.

The result of the call was a indirect free kick in the box, which Megan Rapinoe hit right at a Canadian and off of her arm for a penalty. Wambach wasn’t about to miss from the spot and she didn’t, hitting it hard and low to beat McLeod. Now things are tied again, but not without controversy.

If Canada ever wants to get together and create a nationalized religion, Christine Sinclair will be their god. The Canadian striker is off playing her own game because it is not soccer. It is something better and more amazing. She just scored her third goal of the match to put her country in front of the United States, 3-2, and Canada is back on the verge of pulling off a massive upset over the Americans.

Once again, Sinclair finished with her head because apparently finishing with her feet would be indicative of being a mere human, or something like that. With two defenders on her, Sinclair rose highest, met the ball and nodded the ball past Hope Solo once again.

This match is absolutely nuts and it is as much Megan Rapinoe vs. Christine Sinclair as it is United States vs. Canada. Sinclair scored first to put Canada in front, but then Rapinoe scored and Olimpico to level. Sinclair responded with a great finish and now Rapinoe has scored another great goal to get the U.S. level. This. Is. Nuts.

There wasn’t a lot in the play leading up to the goal. There was no build up play of note or great passing. It was a pretty simple goal that had one result -- Rapinoe is awesome.

Once the United States scored to get back level with Canada, the match was supposed to turn decisively in favor of the Americans. Wrong. Christine Sinclair decided that she was basically going to put Canada on her back and carry her country, which she just might do. The Canadian superstar scored her second goal of the match to put Canada back in front, 2-1, and back on the verge of a massive upset of the U.S. in the Olympic semifinals.

Some clever play by Canada got Melissa Tancredi free down the left and she cut back before hitting a cross right back to the middle. That was a great place to hit it because that is where Sinclair was and the striker did what she doest best. She cleared space and headed perfectly into the corner, beating Hope Solo and putting Canada back in front. It was a great bit of finishing and one that has the Canadians back on the front foot.

Canada had not led the U.S. in a match since way back in 2003 so when they scored first, everybody was stunned. Could the U.S., who has played in all four Olympic gold medal matches really fall in the semifinals to the team they have so thoroughly dominated for years? Maybe, but it wouldn’t be without a fight and that’s what the U.S. gave them. They pressured Canada, created chances and drew fouls and corner kicks seemingly at will.

Finally in the 54th minute it paid off. Rapinoe curled her corner kick just around the post and with Rachel Buelher in front of the goal occupying a defender and the goalkeeper, the ball was able to just barely get across the line. The ball deflected off of a defender and found the net amid a scrum inside the net, but by that point that ball had already crossed the line and Rapinoe had herself the unbelievably rare Olympic Olimpico to get the U.S. even.

The USA’s hopes of getting to the gold medal game have just taken a fairly major blow. Despite having the better of the opening exchanges, the USWNT have gone 1-0 down against Canada in their 2012 Olympic Women’s football semifinal after a very well-taken goal from Christine Sinclair.

The United States is used to beating down on Canada, having gone 11 years without losing to their neighbors from up north and winning both of their matches against the Canucks this year by a combined score of 6-1, but those two matches were just friendlies. Now, the U.S. and Canada play for real, in a match that really matters. They are playing in the Olympic semifinals, with a spot at Wembley in the Gold Medal Match on the line.

Both the U.S. and Canada are going with fairly predictable lineups. Neither has made any drastic changes from their usual XI so it is familiarity vs. familiarity. These teams have played each other enough time. Both teams know what the other is going to do. There are no smoke and mirrors here, just 90 (maybe 120?) minutes for a spot at Wembley.

The United States has advanced to the Gold Medal Match in every Olympics since women’s soccer was added to the program in 1996 and now they stand just one win away from making it five trips to the final in as many Olympics. But if the Americans are going to return to the final and take aim at their third consecutive gold medal, they will have to take down their northern rivals, Canada.

There is no doubt that the U.S. are the favorites to take down Canada, having gone 11 years without losing to the Canucks. The two teams have played twice this year, with the U.S. winning both by a combined score of 6-1. Even the Canadians’ mothers would probably throw money down on the Americans if forced to pick a side.