US edges out Canada in thriller

Alex Morgan scored in the final minute of injury-time for the two-time defending Olympic champion, which will play Japan for the title.

Christine Sinclair scored a hat-trick for Canada. Megan Rapinoe scored twice while Abby Wambach was also among the goalscorers.

The final at Wembley Stadium will be a rematch of last year's World Cup final, won by Japan on penalties.

The Americans have played in the gold medal match in every Summer Games since women's football was introduced in Atlanta in 1996.

Canada will play France for the bronze medal.

Earlier, the Japanese women hugged each other and celebrated their place in the Olympic football final, but France's Elise Bussaglia was left to wonder what if.

The midfielder took a penalty with just over 10 minutes to go that would have been the equaliser, but she hit the ball wide of the post and Japan won 2-1.

The world champion held off France, often desperately, for the remainder of the match.

"I feel horrible," Bussaglia said. "It is a shameful feeling. I opened up my body too much and the ball went wide. We miss the final now, so it is a big disappointment. We are all very sad. But we have a bronze to play for so we must recover for it."

Japan, which had only conceded once in the tournament before the game, went into the match as the favourite.

"They were an amazing team, but we had the most passion," Japan captain Aya Miyama said.

Japan coach Norio Sasaki said he would be taking his team out for a Japanese meal to celebrate winning a medal, but it was now focussing on the final.