Alex Morgan Scores Winning Goal Against Canada, Leads Team Into Final With Japan

Team USA’s soccer star and first-time Olympic athlete Alex Morgan, 23, has already run away with her new sports celebrity status, and now she’s kicking it straight past the goalposts, having scored the game-winning goal for the USA on Monday in a 4-3 game against Canada, qualifying the U.S. women’s soccer team for the gold medal game against Japan on Thursday.

Morgan’s tie-breaking goal against Canada was scored in the 123rd minute of the match. “I can’t remember ever feeling this way after scoring a goal,” Morgan said about the recent win, reports Sports Illustrated. “It’s just so exhilarating.”

Morgan was embraced by her teammates and cheered by the audience after her impressive goal. Her first Olympics is becoming quite the event, validating her longstanding efforts to get there. “I watched the Olympics when I was a little girl,” she told USA Today about her dream. “I remember watching the Beijing finals and it was about 4 or 5 a.m. our time in California, and I was one of the only ones who woke up to watch the match. And at that moment I knew, I’m going to be on this team next Olympics.”

Team USA will face off against Japan for the gold on Thursday.

For more on the London Olympics in 2012:

EXCLUSIVE: U.S. Soccer’s Alex Morgan ‘Visualizes’ The Game, Leads U.S. Team To Openers Victory

Alex Morgan, Women’s Soccer Star, Looks Forward To London

EXCLUSIVE: Alex Morgan’s Diet Tips For A Hot Body

PROFILE: The Audacity Of Hope Solo

Alex Morgan, Women’s Soccer Star, Looks Forward To London

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