In a surprising turn of events, Brazil defeated the reigning world champions, Spain 4-2, in the semifinals of the 2024 Paris Olympics. This unexpected victory in Marseilles secured Brazil a spot in the highly anticipated gold medal match against the United States, set to take place on Saturday morning.
The game started with a dramatic moment just six minutes in when Brazil took advantage of a costly mistake by Spain's goalkeeper, Cata Coll. As the ball was played back to her, an attempt to clear it was thwarted, resulting in an own goal by Spain's captain, Irene Paredes. This early lead set the tone for what would be a challenging match for the Spaniards, who had been expected to dominate the contest.
As the first half continued, Brazil capitalised on their momentum. With four minutes of extra time added, Gabi Portilho scored a precise right-footed shot from the center of the box, finding the bottom right corner of the net. Brazil, playing without their legendary forward Marta due to a suspension from the group stage match against Spain, ended the first half with a commanding 2-0 lead.
The second half saw Brazil's attacking prowess on full display. Substitute Adriana made an impressive impact, hitting a powerful shot that struck the crossbar and then followed up with a header to extend Brazil's lead to 3-0.
Spain, however, showed resilience and refused to give up. In the 85th minute, Salma Paralluelo scored a well-placed header from the right side of the six-yard box, finally putting Spain on the scoreboard. Shortly after, Alexia Putellas attempted a long-range shot, but Brazil's goalkeeper made a remarkable save to deny her.
In stoppage time, Brazil sealed their victory with Kerolin scoring in the 91st minute, making it 4-1. Despite Spain's efforts to fight back, with Paralluelo scoring another goal in the dying minutes, time was not on their side.
Brazil's impressive performance, especially without their star player Marta, showcased their depth and skill. The win over Spain marked a significant achievement for the Selecao, as they now prepare to face the US women's national team in the gold medal match.
The upcoming final will be a rematch of the CONCACAF Women's Gold Cup final from March, where the US narrowly defeated Brazil 1-0. The US women's team advanced to the Olympic final after a hard-fought 1-0 victory against fourth-ranked Germany in Lyon. After a goalless 90 minutes, Sophia Smith scored the decisive goal in the 95th minute of extra time, securing the Americans' place in the final.
The US women's national soccer team is the most decorated in Olympic history, boasting four gold medals, one silver, and one bronze. However, they missed the medal round at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics in 2016 and settled for bronze at the Tokyo Games in 2021.
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