The USA vs. Canada soccer game saw a stunning finale at the London 2012 Olympics in the women's semi final Monday, with the United States scoring deep into the final minute of extra time to win 4-3 and progress to the final and earn the chance at the gold medal.

A header by Alex Morgan settled the fiercely contested battle and Team USA will not advance to the final to play against Japan.

The winning goal could not have been more dramatic, and the fantastic header by Morgan was a perfect conclusion to the match for the U.S.

Pundits will point out how cruel a way for Canada to be knocked out coming so close, and it will be a bitter blow at the death of the Canadians, who will feel they just simply cannot beat this USA team no matter what they do. Canada have not beaten the USA in women's soccer in more than a decade, and this is the third time they will have lost against the USA this year alone.

In Monday's semi final with just seconds until an uncertain penalty shoot out, the USA managed to finish the job, and set themselves up for a repeat of last year's World Cup final - which they incidentally lost to Japan on penalties.

The result also means the United States keep up their record of appearing in every Olympic final of the women's soccer tournament since it was admitted. This will be their fifth appearance in the final.

A relatively quiet first half saw Canada take a surprising lead in the 22nd minute when Melissa Tancredi fed Christine Sinclar in the US box. It took until the second half for the game to completely set alight, and Team USA scored straight from a Megan Rapinoe corner to equalize. Christine Sinclair made it 2-1 to Canada soon after, before Rapinoe equalized again.

Sinclair completed her hat-trick to make it 3-2 before Wambach equalized a third time from the penalty spot.

So it went to extra time and a fiercely competed two periods looked to be heading for penalties before Morgan stepped forward to book Team USA's place in the final and break Canadian hearts.

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London 2012 olympics