“Three times is a pattern”, as the (not entirely on point) saying goes. For the third time, the United States Women’s National Team faced Brazil in the gold medal match at the Summer Olympics (2004, 2008, and 2024). And, for the third time, the USA claimed gold, while Brazil and Marta had to settle for silver, with Germany securing a bronze medal as consolation. Also, for the third time in as many matches, The USWNT won by the slimmest of margins, 1-nil, on a goal scored by one of the starting front three. Additionally, this is the third time since the introduction of the women’s soccer tournament (1996) that the Summer Olympics was hosted by a European country, and once again, the USA won gold on European soil (2004 in Greece, 2012 in the United Kingdom, and 2024 in France).
Match Recap
Emma Hayes went with almost the same starting line-up as she had used for most of the tournament. The one exception was replacing Rose Lavelle in the midfield with Korbin Albert, giving the USA another defensive-minded midfielder, along with Sam Coffey. The same midfield trio — Coffey, Albert, and Lindsey Horan — were also used against Brazil in the SheBelieves Cup earlier this year (U.S. Soccer match report).
Unfortunately, for Brazil, it would not be “three times is a charm”, though for most of the first fifty-some minutes of the match, their offense would give the USA’s defense fits: In the first half, Brazil’s Ludmila almost scored in the 2nd minute and in the 16th minute, she spun around Naomi Girma and sent a shot into the back of the net, only for the potential goal to be nullified by the offside flag. Four minutes later, the USA almost conceded its first penalty kick of the tournament when Crystal Dunn and Adriana tangled their legs together just inside the penalty area, but center referee Tessa Olofsson refused to blow her whistle and no formal VAR review occurred, though there was a pause as the video assistant referee and his crew considered asking for a review (YouTube, Telmundo Deportes). In stoppage time before half-time, goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher made a clutch save, blocking a head-height shot with both hands.
During the first half, the USWNT only seriously threatened Brazil’s goal once, when, in the 26th minute, Mallory Swanson sped down the left flank, outrunning Lauren, with a potential one-0n-one against goalkeeper Ludmila, but Swanson was closed down by the Houston Dash’s Tarciane.
In the opening ten minutes of the second half, the momentum of the match began to shift toward the USA as Brazil was not able to maintain their high pressing and attacking veracity. The USWNT was also helped by the switch of the sides, as Brazil’s defense now had to look toward the sun, meanwhile Alyssa Naeher and the USWNT’s backline now had the sun to their backs.
In the 51st minute, the USA had what was its second best chance of the match so far, on a transition, when Sophia Smith sent a cross into the box to Swanson, but Brazil’s second line of defense closed in and Smith was dispossessed.
Six minutes later, the USA would have their breakthrough when, after a brief spell of neither side having firm possession, midfielder Korbin Albert, who was not even born the first time that the USWNT played against Brazilian legend Marta*, sent a skipping pass up ahead of a running Sophia Smith.
Smith, perhaps because she heard Mallory Swanson yelling at her to “leave it” (NBC interview), had the presence of mind to let the ball run past her and onto the path of Mallory Swanson, who then had a one-on-one opportunity against a hesitant Lorena. Swanson angled in on goal and sent a low right-footed cross to the far post and the shot hit the inside corner of the netting.
The goal-scoring play was momentarily questioned as having an offside infraction, either against Smith and/or Swanson. Smith was at least a shoulder ahead of the Brazil’s second-to-last defender, but Smith did not touch the ball, nor was she deemed to have otherwise interfered with the play. Meanwhile, Swanson was clearly onside, thanks to one of Brazil’s center-backs being about two yards closer to the goal than the rest of her backline.
Three minutes after the USWNT’s goal, Marta was subbed onto the field, for her first action since missing Brazil’s previous two knock-out matches due to a red card suspension for serious foul play against Spain in their final group stage match.
With the USWNT now having the official advantage, Brazil’s focus shifted to finding an equalizer, leaving their defense more vulnerable to transition scoring opportunities. The USA had a good opportunity to double their lead in the 66th minute when Crystal Dun redirected a long Brazilian pass to Sam Coffey, who launched a long pass up beyond Smith who ran onto the ball, dribbled toward goal, and with Tarciane marking her, rushed a rolling shot to the near post, but over-rotated and sent the ball a yard outside of the post. The better option would have been to take a couple more touches to the center of the penalty to get a better angle in front of goal.
After this, absent a speculative lofted shot from Korbin Albert that likely would have been saved, the USA never seriously threatened Lorena’s goal.
A minute before stoppage time, Marta had a chance to play heroine when the USA conceded a free kick a few yards outside their box, but Marta’s shot over the wall did not dip enough and went harmlessly over the crossbar.
Brazil had a couple more opportunities to equalize in stoppage time. The most dangerous of these was when Crystal Dunn lost sight of Adriana when Gabi Portilho was threatening to score. Inside the box, Emily Sonnett dispossessed Portilho, sending the ball beyond the “D”, where it was collected by a Brazilian midfielder, who then found an open and onside Adriana a few yards ahead of the USA’s backline. Adriana’s diving header, from just outside of the 6-yard box, was saved spectacularly saved by Alyssa Naeher’s outstretched right hand. Dunn, then made amends for her ball-watching by clearing the loose ball up the field.
A hard collision involving Lindsey Horan and Rafaelle during stoppage time extended the USWNT’s countdown to a potential victory. Both were going for the ball, but Rafaelle headed the ball first and continued into Horan who did not make an attempt to play the ball. Horan stayed on the ground and was treated by the USA’s medical staff. The restart on the play was curious, as it appears that Olofsson just gave Brazil a drop ball, instead of a free kick, meaning no foul against Horan. Olofsson briefly made Horan leave the field while Brazil restarted play. Instantly, Brazil had a scoring attempt when a long pass was mis-cleared by Dunn over and behind her to Adriana whose hopeful cross into the box was snatched by Naeher.
The remainder of stoppage time was mostly played in the middle third and Brazil’s half, except for one final chance by Brazil, which was negated by a Marta handball.
After 2 extra minutes beyond the stated 10 minutes of stoppage time, Olofsson blew her whistle, ending the match.
Additional Links: Match report (PDF), FIFA’s match page, NBC Sports highlights
*Albert was born on October 13, 2003. The USWNT’s first match against Brazil with Marta was a friendly on July 13, 2003. The USA won that match 1-nil, on a stoppage time goal by Tiffeny Milbrett.
Notables
- This match was Mallory Swanson’s 100th international cap. She is the 2nd player to earn her 100th cap in a major tournament final, after Heather O’Reilly at the 2008 Olympics. (@OptaJack.com, X.com)
- Swanson is the 9th USWNT player to score in her 100th cap and the 3rd to do so in a Women’s World Cup or an Olympics (@OptaJack, X.com)
- Sophia Smith is the 2nd USWNT player to feature in a major tournament final on her birthday, following Megan Rapinoe in the 2015 WWC. (@OptaJack, X.com)
- Alyssa Naeher is the 1st goalkeeper to have a shutout in both a Women’s World Cup final (2019) and an Olympic final (@USWNT, X.com)
- Based on average age, the USWNT’s starting line-up for the match was the 2nd youngest in an Olympic gold medal match (1996) and the 3rd youngest for a major tournament final (including the Women’s World Cup; the 1991 WWC was the youngest). (USSoccer.com)
- Korbin Albert, who does not turn 21 until October, is the youngest starter for the USWNT in an Olympic gold medal match. Previously Lindsay Tarpley (2004) was the youngest at 20 years and 339 days. Albert is 37 days younger. (USSoccer.com)
- Albert is now the 3rd youngest USWNT player to ever start a major tournament final. Only Mia Hamm (19 years, 258 days) and Kristine Lilly (20 years, 131 days) were younger when they started the 1991 WWC final versus Norway. (USSoccer.com)
- Since 1991, the USWNT has won either a senior Women’s World Cup or the next year’s Olympics.
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