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“It was a great moment for our country to be going to Rio, to be going back to the Olympics,” said head coach John Herdman, adding that Canada’s goal is to have back-to-back podium finishes at the Olympics.

While the scoreline was close, Canada controlled the game before a small crowd at BBVA Compass Stadium. Although things got interesting when Costa Rican star forward Raquel Rodriguez cut the lead to 2-1 on a 72nd-minute penalty after Desiree Scott was called for bringing down Diana Saenz on the edge of the box.

Teenager Deanne Rose added an insurance goal in the 86th minute off a Nichelle Prince feed.

Four games, four wins at the tournament. It was mission accomplished for 11th-ranked Canada who will play the United States on Sunday for CONCACAF bragging rights.

The Canadians mobbed goalie Erin McLeod as the final whistle blew.

The top-ranked U.S. defeated No. 48 Trinidad & Tobago 5-0 in the later semifinal to become the ninth nation to qualify for the 12-team field in Rio.

The 34th-ranked Costa Ricans, who made their World Cup debut last summer on Canadian soil, have never made it to the Olympics. But they lived up to their reputation as a team on the rise. Runner-up to the Americans in Group A, they were well-organized and poised under a sunny late-afternoon sky.

Photo by David J. Phillip / AP

“Canada has some great players,” said Costa Rica coach Amelia Valverde through an interpreter. “We left it all on the field. I’m proud of the girls this evening.”

The Canadian breakthrough came in the 17th minute after a long cross from the right from fullback Josee Belanger eluded 16-year-old Rose but found Sinclair, who chested it down and scored on the half-volley with her right foot.

Sinclair said after the game that she has been playing with a nagging calf injury.

Sinclair went one better in the 52nd minute. With her back to goal just inside the penalty box, she pulled down a Costa Rican clearance with her right foot and popped into the air before swivelling and firing a left-footed looping shot into the goal.

The 32-year-old from Burnaby, B.C., who has scored 18 goals in CONCACAF Olympic qualifying play alone, is 23 goals behind retired American Abby Wambach (184) in all time women’s scoring.