SHANGHAI, China — Natasha Kai had spent 90 minutes sitting on the bench, listening to music and energizing her U.S. soccer teammates in the locker room during a 100-minute suspension in their match against Canada because of lightning.

Finally, she got on the field in extra time and headed in the winner in the 101th minute for a 2-1 victory yesterday to give the defending champion Americans a spot in the Olympic women's semifinals. Surrounded by her teammates, the Kahuku High and University of Hawai'i alum celebrated her goal with a little jig.

Kai, who replaced Heather O'Reilly at the start of the first extra period, got behind the defense to head the ball past the exposed Katrina LeBlanc from five meters.

"The ball got played back to Shannon Boxx and I saw her ready to cross so I just made sure I got on the end of it," Kai said.

In a game that ended 4 hours and 10 minutes after it started, the Americans splashed through the rain at the Shanghai Olympic Stadium to set up a semifinal meeting with underdog but emerging giantkiller Japan.

According to Boxx and coach Pia Sundhage, Kai's contribution was immense, on and off the field.

"We have certain players and Natasha's one of them that give us energy in the locker room and on the field," said Boxx, who provided the cross for Kai's goal. "And the music, a mixture of Hawai'i, hip-hop and everything, is great for us. We kept a great positive attitude.

"I see how she is when she comes onto the field and she's waving to the crowd and getting the crowd going. That puts a smile on the people who are tired on the field and it lifts us up."

Said Kai: "It doesn't matter if I play 90 minutes or a minute, as long as I help the team. It takes all 18 players to be successful. I came in knowing I need to be that spark and help my teammates out and we came out with the win."

Sundhage said Kai's energizing reaction to the long suspension even helps her.

"For me it's the way she looks. A lot of energy, a happy smile," Sundhage said. "She gives a lot of energy and is very supportive.

"I had a plan but I changed my mind because the players handled it very well. They were playing music in the locker room, there were happy smiles and they were ready to go. This team coaches themselves in the locker room when it was raining outside. I'm very proud of that."

Angela Hucles gave the Americans a lead in the 12th minute from in close. But Christine Sinclair replied in the 30th for Canada with a long, powerful shot.

Now Sundhage's team moves on to try and maintain its record of reaching every Olympic final. The U.S. won in 1996 in Atlanta, was runner-up to Norway at Sydney 2000 and won again in Athens in 2004.

The coach was pleased that her team kept trying to score even after Kai's goal in the 101st minute.

"With this young team it's healthy that they tried to score another goal," Sundhage said. "I'm not opposed to that. I thought they did well."

Boxx said the team had become used to winning tight matches.

"All year this team has been great at dealing with pressure, either being down a goal or tied of having a team come back," she said. "We've always fought for 90, 100, whatever it takes. I like the fact that we are creating chances and having different people score goals."

The thunderstorm that sliced the first half in two started right on kickoff time and soon the players were playing in torrential rain.

But it didn't stop the Americans going ahead with a simple move in the 12th minute.

Amy Rodriguez's cross from the right was headed down by O'Reilly and although Canadian goalkeeper Erin McLeod partially blocked it, Hucles was perfectly positioned at the far post to nudge the ball over the line.

NOTES

Kai has the jersey numbers of three injured teammates on her headband. "Four is for Cat Whitehill, 20 for Abby (Wambach) and 12 for Leslie Osborne," Kai said. "They got injured this year and they are a big part of our team. I just wanted to give them a shout so I got their numbers on my headband."

www.ussoccer.com contributed to this report.