England 2-1 Canada
England scored twice in the opening half and then held on to reach the semi-finals of the Women's World Cup with a tense 2-1 win over Canada on Saturday.
England move onto Edmonton and a Wednesday meeting with defending champions Japan for a place in the final.
The schedule was setup for a potential Canada Day party on 1 July but the hosts could not secure an invitation as England gained revenge for a quarter-final loss to Canada at the 2012 London Olympics to reach the last four of a World Cup for the first time.
After conceding just one goal in four matches, Canada surrendered two in three minutes early in the opening half and fell into a hole out of which they could not climb.
England opened the scoring in the 11th minute when Canadian defender Lauren Sesselmann slipped on the ball, leaving Jodie Taylor a clear path to the goal. She made no mistake, whipping a low shot past a diving Erin McLeod.
Three minutes later Lucie Bronze sent a shudder through the capacity crowd when her soft looping header sailed over McLeod's outstretched hand, deflected off the crossbar and into the net.
Canada pulled one back just before the interval when England keeper Karen Bardsley could not handle Ashley Lawrence's shot and Christine Sinclair, Canada's all-time leading scorer, was there to pounce on the loose ball and drive it into the open net.
Canada pushed forward in the second half but could not unlock the England defence and test Siobhan Chamberlain, who was substituted for Bardsley in the 49th minute after the starting keeper had problems with her eye.
Australia 0-1 Japan
Defending champions Japan reached the semi-finals of the Women's World Cup thanks to an 87th minute goal from substitute Mana Iwabuchi that gave them a 1-0 win over battling Australia on Saturday.
There had been little to choose between the two teams in the heat at the Commonwealth Stadium, although Japan carved out the better chances with Shinobu Ohno going close twice in the first half.
The Matildas closed down Japan's midfield superbly, not allowing them to find the fast-passing rhythm that has been typical of their performances in the tournament.
The game looked headed for extra-time when the decisive moment came, with a little less than four minutes left.
From a corner, Aussie keeper Lydia Williams saved at the feet of Azusa Iwashimizu, but the defender recovered and slipped the ball to 22-year-old Iwabuchi, who fired into an unguarded goal from point-blank range.
Japan meet England in the semi-finals.
Japan coach Norio Sasaki said he had not been worried about losing, even though his team left it late.
"I felt that even if we didn't score in 90 minutes, we would get one in extra-time and that is what we talked about at half-time. The game-plan was executed well," said Sasaki.
For Australia, the World Cup campaign ended in agony as their players collapsed to the ground at the final whistle, exhausted and clearly distraught at the outcome.
"They created the better chances, you have to say the better team won," said Australia coach Alen Stajcic, an observation that was hard to dispute.
Earlier, Ohno went close with an attempted lob in the eighth minute and then the striker fired just wide after a good break and low cross from Nahomi Kawasumi.
Australia's attacks were sporadic and their first effort on goal came via a free-kick from 20 yards by Alanna Kennedy, which flashed just wide of the post.
Matildas' keeper Williams again showed her value 12 minutes before half-time when she tipped over a long-range drive from Japan captain Aya Miyama.
At the other end, Emily van Egmond went close in the 56th minute with a fierce drive that whistled over the bar, but Australia could not find enough fluency or possession to really trouble the Japanese back line.
