SAO PAULO -- Two games into the Olympic soccer tournament and the Canadian women are on point. They lead their group with two wins and six points. And every player on the roster has seen action.

On Saturday, they did what was expected in dispatching a game-but-outmatched Zimbabwe side 3-1 with two goals from Janine Beckie and one by Christine Sinclair.

Despite a late strike by the 93rd-ranked Africans, the win was never in doubt. The 10th-ranked Canadians opened Wednesday with a 2-0 victory over No. 5 Australia.

Coupled with Germany's 2-2 tie with Australia later Saturday, the Zimbabwe win means the Canadian women are headed to the quarter-finals.

"Job done for Canada with the result," said coach John Herdman. "It was crucial that we came out of these first two games with six points. It really put us in the driving seat going into that third game, around our (player) resting strategy.

"These tournaments are brutal with the (short) turnaround and the travel that catches up on players. So it puts us in a good situation to have a good go at Germany. There's some history to be made there. And to give rest where it's needed to players that have been putting big shifts in."

Canada has an early flight Sunday for Brasilia where it will take on No. 2 Germany on Tuesday to wrap up Group F play.

The Germans (1-0-1) needed an 88th-minute goal to tie Australia (0-1-1).

Going into the final day of pool play, Canada has six points, Germany four, Australia one and Zimbabwe (0-2-0) none. A win or tie against Germany, which has beaten Canada in all 12 of their meetings, and the Canadians will win Group F.

That may not be a good thing. According to the tournament draw, the winner plays the runner-up in Group G -- likely third-ranked France after its 1-0 loss to the top-ranked Americans later Saturday -- in the quarter-finals while the Group F runner-up faces the second-place team in Group E -- likely No. 6 Sweden or No. 8 Brazil.

France is considered one of the tournament's top contenders and beat Canada 1-0 just prior to the Games. And the French will be plenty motivated having lost the bronze medal to Canada four years ago in London.

The top two teams in each of the three groups, plus the two best third-place teams advance.

Canada will give its best against Germany but expect Herdman to rest some key players in advance of the all-important knockout rounds.

Saturday's match may have well been played in Harare given the heat and vocal support from the Corinthians Arena crowd of 30,295, which cheered every Zimbabwe pass and tackle.

The Canadians did not object and paid tribute to the Africans' resolve.

"It's nice to play with people actually cheering, no matter who they're cheering for, and people that are involved," said veteran striker Melissa Tancredi.

"They have all the heart in the world," she added of the Zimbabweans. "It's good to see people cheer for them."

"All the credit to them, respect to them," echoed midfielder Sophie Schmidt. "They came out and fought."

Said Herdman: "They never laid down and we knew they wouldn't. And the crowd was awesome."

The Africans finally gave the fans something to celebrate in the 86th minute when Mavis Chirandu scored after goalkeeper Sabrina D'Angelo was caught in no man's land racing out for a ball after a defensive miscue.

Marjory Nyaumwe shot just wide in stoppage time as the underdogs finished with a flourish. After the final whistle, the crowd chanted "Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe." The Canadians were all but ignored.

"We are delighted by everything we have got," Zimbabwe coach Shadreck Mlauzi said of the reception.

The Mighty Warriors, who hold down day jobs away from soccer, were willing but limited and trailed 2-0 after 19 minutes and 3-0 at the half. Still they gave it their all and were rewarded with the late goal.

A proud Mlauzi said you can inspire a nation without hitting the win column.

"As long as you are passionate, you love your country, as long as you play with honour ... These girls, they are amateurs but you can see they can compete with the rest of the world," he said.

But while the Zimbabwe players saw just one road ahead on the pitch, Canada saw a Tokyo subway map and repeatedly sliced open their defence.

Canada outshot Zimbabwe 18-3 (11-0 in shots on target) and had 63 per cent of possession in the first half. The final tally was 25-6 (11-1 in shots on target) with Canada having 62 per cent of the possession. Herdman had predicted 70 per cent possession.

With the outcome never in doubt, the game slowed in the second half although the crowd kept at it, chanting Zimbabwe and cheering a yellow card for Canadian midfielder Jessie Fleming as if they'd caught her kicking her dog.

"The second half was just about managing the ball and just managing the game," said Herdman, adding graciously: "And all credit to Zimbabwe on that last goal."

Herdman rang in four changes, one enforced, with Canada playing on just two days rest. D'Angelo, defenders Rebecca Quinn and Josee Belanger and midfielder Schmidt came in for Stephanie Labbe, Shelina Zadorsky, Rhian Wilkinson and Desiree Scott.

It was a big day for D'Angelo. The 23-year-old from Welland, Ont., won her third cap in her second start in her first Olympics. She had little to do prior to the dying minutes.

Herdman said he made the move to give D'Angelo experience in case anything happened to Labbe. The young 'keeper had not played a competitive game in more than two months due to a wrist injury.

Zadorsky was suspended after being red-carded in Wednesday's win over Australia. Defensive partner Kadeisha Buchanan played on a yellow and drew another caution in the 58th minute for refusing to move back from a free kick, meaning she will have to sit out the Germany game. But her yellow cards will then be expunged, freeing her up for the more important knockout games that follow in the tournament.

Buchanan, who did not talk to the media after the game, likely went looking for the card.

Canada took advantage of some poor defending in the seventh minute when Sinclair's cross found Beckie behind the defence on a play that looked offside. Goalkeeper Chido Szingirai made a fine save to deny Beckie but the Canadian striker got the rebound and banged it in for her second goal in as many matches here.

After Diana Matheson hit the post at the end of a 15-pass Canadian attack, Sinclair put Canada ahead 2-0 via penalty in the 19th minute. Fleming started the play with a deft chip to Matheson who was bundled over by the Zimbabwe goalkeeper via a knee to the back.

It marked Sinclair's second goal of the tournament, her 10th in Olympic play and the 164th of her international career.

Beckie struck again in the 35th minute, acrobatically redirecting in a glorious Belanger cross for a 3-0 lead.

A Matheson goal in the 42nd minute, triggered by a beautifully weighted pass from Melissa Tancredi, was correctly called back for offside. Sinclair, meanwhile, had a goal called back in the 78th minute for handball.

The Mighty Warriors are an amateur team that had a hard road to the Olympics, advancing twice on the away goals rule while surviving financial problems along the way.