Canada fought to a 3-1 win over Zimbabwe in their second Olympic group stage game at Arena Corinthians in São Paulo on Saturday 6 August 2016. Janine Beckie opened the scoring in the 8th minute and added her second in the 35th. In between Beckie's two goals, Christine Sinclair converted a penalty in the 18th minute. Zimbabwe scored a late consolation in the 86th minute, but never looked like threatening the Canadian lead.

FIRST HALF:

Janine Beckie opened the scoring for the second game running, this time having to wait until the 8th minute. Christine Sinclair turned her marker deftly and saw Beckie unmarked in the centre of the area. Sinclair's cross was volleyed first time by Beckie, but was saved by Dzingirai in the Zimbabwean goal. Fortunately for the young Canadian forward the rebound landed right at her feet, and she blasted it in to the left side of the net powerfully.

Sinclair played in Tancredi in the 15th minute and whilst that chance was snuffed out, the ball found its way to Janine Beckie on the left side of the six yard box. Her lopped ball over the top of the keeper ended up with Diana Matheson on the right, whose low drive rattled off the outside of the right hand post.

Zimbabwe showed they were still able to pose a threat in the 17th minute when a long ball was well knocked down by Rutendo Makore for Marjory Nyaumwe. Her shot was wild, but made sure Canada were kept on their toes.

Canada were awarded a penalty in the 18th minute. Jessie Fleming looped a ball over the defence for Matheson to latch onto. The Canadian midfielder was bundled over by the Zimbabwe keeper who was summarily booked for the rough play. Christine Sinclair stepped up to take the spot kick and dispatched it to the bottom right corner with little fuss, putting Canada up 2-0 within 20 minutes.

Canada worked a smart set-piece in the 21st minute as Diana Matheson rolled a pass to Sinclair from the right flank. Her shot was blocked, and the rebound fell to Janine Beckie, whose shot was on target but well held by Dzingirai

Fleming was able to find Sinclair on the edge of the box in the 29th minute. The captain took two quick touches and looked to curl her shot into the bottom right corner, but the ball drifted just wide. In the 31st Beckie played a well-weighted pass that looked to have Sinclair in on goal, but Dzingirai was alive to the danger and did well to stymie the scoring chance.

Janine Beckie scored her second goal of the game in the 35th minute. Fleming received the ball in her own half and found Josee Belanger who was streaking down the right flank. Beckie made a long run to be in position to convert a tricky chance in to the right hand side of the goal.

Two minutes later Sinclair had the ball resting on the top of the net. Tancredi swung a ball in for the captain who was left unmarked in the six yard box. Her connection wasn't perfect, and she wasn't able to keep the ball under the bar.

Janine Beckie had an opportunity to finsh her hat-trick in the 40th minute after Diana Matheson flicked a back heel into space behind the defence for Beckie to chase. She was only denied after a great defensive effort from Nyaumwe who was able to intervene and give up a corner.

Matheson had the ball in the back of the net in the 42nd minute, neatly finishing a chipped pass from Melissa Tancredi, but the play was called back for offside.

Rutendo Makore was able to get a shot at goal in the 44th minute, turning at the top of the box and finding space. Her attempt was blocked by a lunging Kadeisha Buchanan and the resulting corner was seen off without any drama, as was the remaining time left in the first half.

SECOND HALF:

Both teams came out for the second half unchanged, with Zimbabwe looking much more eager to apply pressure on the ball and attempt to force more chances for themselves in the final third. Canada took a little while to settle into a rythymn, looking to play neat football and keep moving well in the attacking phase of the game.

Jessie Fleming picked up a yellow card for a challenge on a quick breaking Emmalulate Msipa in the 58th minute. The free kick from deep on the left flank. Kadeisha Buchanan was then booked for not retreating the requisite 10 yards from the dead ball.

Substitute Deanne Rose was nearly able to extend the lead in the 64th minute. A long free kick from Beckie was knocked down by Christine Sinclair and Rose was able to get a shot away, but the Olympic debutant was closely attended to by the Zimbbwean defence and couldn't direct it goalwards.

Deanne Rose had another good chance in the 73rd minute. A long pass was knocked down by Beckie at the top of the penalty area for the advancing Rose to strike first time. She couldn't, however, keep the shot down and sent the attempt over the bar.\

Christine Sinclair thought she had scored another goal in the 79th minute, finishing a curling cross from Beckie into the bottom right corner, but the referee had ajudged the Canadian captain to have used her hand to bring the ball under control.

Substitute Nichelle Prince was able to take a snap shot from the top of the area in the 86th minute after a deep ball wasn't cleared properly.

Zimbabwe were able to claw a goal back in the 86th minute. A long ball from the back was latched onto by Nyaumwe. She was in behind the Canadian defensive line and Sabrina D'Angelo came rushing out of her box to challenge the midfielder. The Zimbabwean midfielder was able to nick the ball behind D'Angelo and Mavis Chirunda was left all on her own in the penalty area with an open goal ahead of her.

Zimbabwe kept pushing late in the game, with Nyaumwe again proving to be a pest, flashing a dive just wide of the left post after a pass was only half-cleared. The Canadians were able to see off the rest of the game with no further incident, and ran out 3-1 winners.

LINEUPS & NOTES:

Canada's starting XI featured Sabrina D'Angelo in goal, Josée Bélanger at right back, Kadeisha Buchanan and Rebecca Quinn at centre back, Ashley Lawrence at left back, and Diana Matheson, Jessie Fleming, Sophie Schmidt, Janine Beckie, Melissa Tancredi, and Christine Sinclair from the midfield up through to the attack.

In the second half, coach John Herdman replaced Tancredi with Deanne Rose (61'), Matheson with Allysha Chapman (63'), and Fleming with Nichelle Prince (71').

Zimbabwe's starting XI featured Chido Dzingirai in goal, Shiela Makoto at left back, Nobuhle Majika and Talent Mandaza at centre back, Eunice Chibanda at right back, Emmalulate Msipa, Rejoice Kapfumvuti, Marjory Nyaumwe, Rutendo Makore, Kudakwashe Basopo, Felistas Muzongondi (c) from the midfield up through to the attack.

In the second half, coach Shadreck Mlauzi replaced Muzongondi with Mavis Chirandu (63'), Makore With Daisy Kaitano (79'), and Basopo with Erina Jeke (87').

Referee Jozef Dankowski cautioned Dzingirai of Zimbabwe as well as Fleming, Bélanger, and Buchanan of Canada. With yellow cards in back-to-back matches, Buchanan will miss the group match on 9 August because of a suspension. Buchanan had made 49 consecutive international appearances from 2013 through to today.

The four Canadian players that made their Olympic debut today were D'Angelo, Bélanger, Prince, and Rose.