Matildas lose 2016 Olympic opener 2-0 to 10-man Canada in Sao Paulo

VIDEO: The Matildas suffered Olympic Games stage fright, falling to a disastrous loss despite having an extra player for 70 minutes in Sao Paulo.

Australia v Canada.

OH, Canada! The Matildas’ Olympic Games campaign could be over before the Games even began after a 2-0 loss to Canada left them with an uphill battle to make the knockout stages.

Australia had a meticulous preparation for the Games with training camps and an early arrival in Brazil but nothing could prepare them for this - conceding the fastest ever goal in Olympic women’s football history inside 20 seconds.

WHAT WENT WRONG FOR MATILDAS AGAINST CANADA

MATILDAS PLAYER RATINGS VS CANADA

An underhit pass from Laura Alleway to her defensive partner Alanna Kennedy allowed Canada’s veteran strike star Christine Sinclair to pounce. She nutmegged a tardy Kennedy and rolled a pass across the goal to allow Janine Beckie to slide the ball home.

Australia's Katrina Gorry, left, fights for the ball with Canada's Shelina Zadorsky.

Canada lost a player to a red card and held out against sustained Australian pressure, then sealed the result through Sinclair on 80 minutes.

Australia had steadied after the early catastrophe and were well back in the game when they received a huge boost in the 19th minute. As Michelle Heyman sprinted towards goal she received a tug on the shoulder from Canada’s Shelina Zadorsky who was shown a red card.

Elise Kellond-Knight almost made the most of the advantage sending a left foot free kick onto the cross bar.

Canada's Kadeisha Buchanan, left, fight for the ball with Australia's Sam Kerr.

The Matildas dominance continued. Sam Kerr met a superb cross from Katrina Gorry on the volley but it crashed wide off her knee. Heyman twice mis timed shots in good position.

As time ran away coach Alen Stajcic brought on Lisa De Vanna and Kyah Simon to push for an equaliser, but it was Canada who responded.

An extremely harsh hand ball decision from a corner went against Caitlin Foord to give Canada a chance to wrap it up from the penalty spot. The attempt, from Beckie was too straight, allowing Lydia Williams a comfortable save.

Soon after, Williams let a shot through her legs that Australia scrambled away as it ran towards the goal line. But there was no one to save the keeper with ten minutes to play when she was caught sweeping near the centre circle. Once more Sinclair was too slick, reaching a ball before Williams and going through to score into an empty net.

Australia, ranked fifth in the world to Canada’s No.10, will all but certainly need at least a draw from its next match, against world No.2 Germany, to stay alive into the final game against Zimbabwe.

SCOREBOARD

Sweden 1-0 South Africa

Brazil 3-0 China

Germany 6-1 Zimbabwe

United States 2-0 New Zeland

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Originally published as Matildas lose 2016 Olympic opener 2-0 to 10-man Canada in Sao Paulo