USA vs. Canada Women's Olympic Soccer: American Side Will Roll Northern Neighbor

The American women's soccer team struggled to defeat New Zealand on Saturday, but they still managed to win their quarterfinal contest 2-0. Now Team USA will face Canada in an Olympic semifinal tilt on Monday.

Some may anticipate a letdown from the American side in the 2:45 p.m. ET tilt. Canada's squad is not a pushover, and they are coming off a massive 2-0 victory over Great Britain in their quarterfinal meeting, but Team USA is far too talented.

On top of that talent, the Americans have extra motivation. A potential matchup with Japan looms large in the finals, and the Americans remember all too well how their World Cup match ended. They don't take losing lightly, and nothing will stop them from avenging that loss.

Canada is just another hoop to jump through. Granted, Melissa Tancredi and Christine Sinclair have been dynamic. They've combined for seven goals so far in London, but two players won't be enough. Their production is neutralized by Abby Wambach and Alex Morgan in the American attack, and the American duo has much more support at all levels.

According to Chicago Tribune reporter Kevin Baxter, "Canada hasn't beaten the U.S. since 2001, a string of 27 games that includes a 4-0 loss in January at the Olympic qualifying tournament in Vancouver, Canada, and a 2-1 defeat in a send-off game five weeks ago in Utah."

Canada is playing well enough to beat that streak. They might even have a chance if Team USA hadn't lost in the World Cup, but the Americans don't lose two major tournaments in a row. In their last three World Cup losses the United States has bounced back to win the Olympic gold medal each time according to The Boston Globe.

That doesn't bode well for the Canadian squad. They may have their country's all-time leading scorer (Sinclair) playing at the top of her game, but Team USA's talent is too overwhelming.

Adding extra motivation to a talented team's mentality is a deadly combination. The United States will take their World Cup loss out on Canada, and they won't rest until they upend Japan, or France, in the gold-medal match.