Canada opened their Olympic campaign with a breathtaking 2:0 win over Australia at Arena Corinthians in São Paulo, Brazil. The 3 August win earned Canada three full points in the first of three group matches at the Rio 2016 Women's Olympic Football Tournament.

Canada opened the scoring after just 21 seconds, with Janine Beckie converting on a pass from Christine Sinclair. The goal set a new record for the fastest goal in tournament history. Canada then went down a player in the 19th minute after Shelina Zadorsky was shown a red card for a challenge on Michelle Heyman. A player down, Canada dug in and weathered a storm of Australian attack until the 80th minute when Sinclair was able to double the lead and put the game beyond the reach of the Matildas.

FIRST HALF:

Canada didn't wait to get into the game, Janine Beckie scoring in the first minute. Christine Sinclair cut out a loose pass on the right of the penalty and drove into the penalty area. Her squaring pass was out of the reach of Lydia Williams and Beckie timed her run to the back post perfectly to finish with aplomb.

Canada looked to settle the game down quickly after that, playing simple safe football in their own end. Up front there was often space to operate with movement off the ball, as the Australians pushed to quickly get back on level terms.

The 16th minute saw Australia's first clear chance as Samantha Kerr outfought Kadeisha Buchanan to a lofted counter attacking pass. She was at the top of the box with time to spare, but appeared to rush her shot and Labbe was able to gather low to her left.

Australia broke quickly in the 19th minute, lofting a long ball for Heyman to chase. In a foot race with Zadorsky the Australian was able to get across the front of the Canadian defender, who was then adjudged to bring her down illegally. Zadorsky was considered the last defender and was shown a red card for the challenge, putting Canada down to ten players. Elise Kellond-Knight then took the free kick curling it towards the top left corner but clattering it off the crossbar.

Rhian Wilkinson was shown a yellow card in the 23rd minute after a challenge on Sam Kerr.

Kerr sent the ball just wide of the right post in the 27th minute. Katrina Gorry was able to drive a ball behind the Canadian defensive line which was met first time by the Australian forward. She made scruffy contact, but the ball flashed inches wide of the post.

Substitute Rebecca Quinn kept the game level in the 38th minute. A diagonal ball from Gorry was met by Sam Kerr who beat the onrushing Labbé to the ball. Heyman was in the penalty are with an empty goal gaping in front of her before Quinn timed her tackle perfectly to get the ball away from the Australian forward. It rolled to Labbé who had recovered her position, and the keeper clutched the ball to her chest gratefully.

In the 40th minute Rhian Wilkinson lost her footing and the ever dangerous Sam Kerr looked to capitalize. Wilkinson was able to recover enough to put in a challenge to keep the Australian forward off balance. Labbé stormed out of her goal to get the ball to safety.

SECOND HALF:

The second half started quickly, Kadeisha Buchanan earning a yellow card for a challenge on Gorry at the top of the 18-yard box. Kellond-Knight struck the ball well, but the wall did it's job and deflected the shot out for a corner. Labbé was able to come through a crowd and punch it clear, but the ball was worked to Gorry. Her shot was dipping in but Labbé was able to save. The second corner was almost a carbon copy, with Labbé able to clear and Gorry taking a shot, but on this occasion Labbé gathered the deflected shot easily.

Canada had the Australian defence worried in the 54th. Ashley Lawrence's throw in was missed by the Australian defenders and Sinclair took possession of the ball on the right touchline. Her cut back was on its way to Diana Matheson, but Gorry put in a well-timed challenge to nick it away. Allysha Chapman was able to gather and played in Beckie on the left side of the penalty area, but her shot through traffic ended up being saved by Williams in the Australian net.

Ashley Lawrence drove up the right flank with purpose in the 72nd minute winning a corner for the Canadians. The corner was driven in and ultimately adjudged to strike and Australian player on the arm, the French referee awarding a penalty. Janine Beckie took the penalty, but Lydia Williams was equal to it, saving the spot kick and keeping the game close.

Jessie Fleming had a shot cleared of the line in the 77th minute. Janine Beckie squared a pass well for the streaking defender who was in time and space. Her shot was through the legs of Williams who managed to get enough of a touch on it to slow it down. The shot was trickling in, but the covering defender was able to hack the ball clear.

Christine Sinclair doubled the lead in the 79th minute. Jessie Fleming found herself with the ball on her foot on her own 18 yard line and spotted Christine Sinclair steaming up the middle of the field. The ball put her in behind the defence perfectly, and the captain was able to touch it around the quickly advancing Williams who was 35 yards out of her net. Sinclair then had an open goal, but a long way out and with two defenders closing in on her. She showed why she has scored 162 international goals before this one, coolly tucking the long finish away to double the lead.

The remaining ten minutes were spent with Canada denying the Australians space in the final third, collapsing well to the edge of the eighteen yard box and forcing the Australians wide or into long shots. The high press of the Australians left a lot of space behind them and Canada did what they could to look for the hard-working runs of Janine Beckie and Christine Sinclair, who did very well to hold the play up and eat away at the clock.

LINEUPS & NOTES:

Canada's starting XI featured Stephanie Labbé in goal, Rhian Wilkinson at right back, Kadeisha Buchanan and Shelina Zadorsky at centre back, Ashley Lawrence at left back, and Diana Matheson, Desiree Scott, Jessie Fleming, Melissa Tancredi, Janine Beckie, and captain Christine Sinclair from the midfield up through to the attack.

Coach John Herdman made three substitutions after his team was reduced to 10 players following the Zadorsky ejection: he replaced Tancredi with centre back Rebecca Quinn (23'), Wilkinson with fullback Allysha Chapman (46'), and Matheson with midfielder Sophie Schmidt (69').

Australia's starting XI featured Lydia Williams in goal, Katrina Gorry at right back, Claire Polkinghorne and Laura Alleway at centre back, Chloe Logarzo at left back, and Ellise Kellond-Knight, Emily Van Egmond, Alanna Kennedy, Samantha Kerr, Michelle Heyman, and Caitlin Foord in midfield up through to the attack.

In the second half, coach Alen Stajcic replaced Kerr with Stephanie Catley (46'), Logarzo with Lisa De Vanna (61'), and Heyman with Kyah Simon (71').

Along with the red card, referee Stephanie Frappert cautioned Canada's Wilkinson in the first half and Buchanan in the second half.