2024 Olympics: Germany Claims Bronze, Defeating Spain 1-0

In the third-place match of the women’s soccer tournament at the 2024 Paris Olympics, Spain, after its disastrous semifinals performance against Brazil, had a second chance to secure its first Olympic medal. However, for the third time in a row, Spain had a poor offensive showing. And, for the second time in a row, Cata Coll committed a costly goalkeeping error. And, thus, for the first time since 2008, Germany had an Olympic bronze medal, their fourth.

The two defining moments of the match both revolved around penalty kicks: In the 65th minute, Giulia Gwinn converted from the spot for Germany after Spain’s goalkeeper, Cata Coll, crashed into Gwinn at the top of the penalty area as both were going for a lofted long pass. And, in the final moments of the match, Gotham FC’s Ann-Katrin Berger, who save two kicks in Germany’s quarterfinal penalty shootout against Canada, was once again the heroine for Germany, as she saved Alexia Putellas’s penalty kick in the 9th minute of second-half stoppage time.

Continue reading “2024 Olympics: Germany Claims Bronze, Defeating Spain 1-0”