U.S. women lose 1-0 to Canada in soccer, out of gold contention

KASHIMA, Japan — Jessie Fleming scored on a penalty kick in the 74th minute and Canada earned a 1-0 semifinal victory over the United States in the Olympic women’s soccer competition.

Canada goes on to face the winner of the late semifinal in Yokohama between Sweden and Australia. The gold medal match is set for Friday at the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo.

It is the second straight Olympics that the United States has been knocked out of contention for the gold medal match. The Americans were bounced from the 2016 Rio Games by Sweden in the quarterfinals.

Carli Lloyd, clutch in so many critical moments for the U.S. team, failed to connect against Canada on Monday night and the Americans won’t play for a fifth Olympic gold medal.

Lloyd’s look in the 86th minute with the U.S. trailing by a goal hit the crossbar as Canada won and dropped the Americans into the bronze medal match.

As Canada celebrated wildly at Ibaraki Kashima Stadium, Lloyd knelt to the turf with her head in her hands.

“That wasn’t good enough,” said Lloyd, the oldest player on the U.S. team at 39 and playing in what was likely her last major tournament with the national team.

The U.S. lost starting goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher when she came down awkwardly after going up for the ball around the 20th minute. Trainers attended to her for some five minutes as backup Adrianna Franch warmed up on the sideline.

Naeher tried to stay in the game, but was replaced by Franch in the 30th minute.

Canada pounced in the 74th minute on Fleming’s penalty kick, which gave Canada its first win against the United States since 2001.

Fleming booted her PK past a diving Franch and took off toward the sideline, sliding on her knees before teammates swarmed around her.

The U.S. will play for the bronze on Thursday in Kashima against either Sweden or Australia.