Three days after having their hearts broken in stoppage time, the Canadian women's soccer team wound up on the other end.
Diana Matheson scored in the second minute of stoppage time at the end of the second half to lift Canada to a 1-0 win over France and the Olympic bronze medal. The late goal from the Princeton graduate capped off an exhausting Olympic run that ended with Canada's first Summer Olympics medal in a team sport since the men's basketball team took silver in 1936.
With both sides struggling to recover from stinging defeats in the semifinals - France against Japan, Canada in a controversial extra-time loss to the United States - the teams took a while to get going, and the first 45 minutes of play past relatively without incident.
France had the best chance of the day to that point in the 62nd minute, but struck woodwork, with Gaetane Thiney's shot ricocheting off the left goalpost. The French continued to attack, as Canada showed the signs of fatigue following the extra half hour of play on Monday. The French couldn't put one past Canadian goalkeeper Erin McLeod, though, and eventually, they paid for it.
After France blocked an initial shot, the rebound landed right in the path of Matheson, who blasted it past French goalkeeper Sarah Bouhaddi.
With so much time having passed, there was no time for France to respond, and moments later, the celebration was on in earnest.
The United States and Japan will play for the gold later on Thursday.
