Olympics: Japan is one win away to World Cup and Olympic double

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Japan, whose previous best Olympic performance was fourth place four years ago, came into today's game buoyed by Friday's quarter-final victory against Brazil.

Japan moved to within one win of completing a Women's World Cup and Olympic double after surviving a late France onslaught to reach the London 2012 final.

Japan punished woeful set-piece defending to go 2-0 ahead, Sarah Bouhaddi's horrible howler gifting Yuki Ogimi the opening goal and non-existent marking allowing Mizuho Sakaguchi to double the lead.

France then went for broke, substitute Eugenie Le Sommer scoring with 14 minutes remaining and winning a penalty two minutes later, but they were ultimately left to fight it out for a bronze medal shortly before Thursday's final.

Sakaguchi tripped Le Sommer in the box and referee Quetzalli Alvarado pointed to the spot, but Bussaglia crumbled under the pressure, steering wide.

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The United States grabbed a last-gasp extra-time winner to seal their place in the women's Olympics football final for the fifth successive tournament.

Another shoot-out was on the cards at Old Trafford until, in the third minute of injury time at the end of extra time, Alex Morgan sent a looping 10-yard header over goalkeeper Erin McLeod to break Canadian hearts.

Not even a hat-trick from Canada captain Christine Sinclair - the first against the US for 11 years - could deny the Americans their place in Thursday's showdown at Wembley.

That match will now be a repeat of last year's World Cup final in which Japan triumphed on penalties following a 2-2 draw at the end of 120 minutes.

US coach Pia Sundhage described her team's ability to come back as "a gift", adding: "This team refuses to lose and always finds a way to win.