The United States women’s national team have won a record-extending fifth Olympic gold medal, and their first since 2012. A Mallory Swanson goal broke open a tightly wound final with Brazil in the 58th minute on a sun-splashed afternoon in south-west Paris.
Barely one year after they were held to four goals in as many games in a dismal World Cup that gave rise to questions over whether they had permanently ceded their status as women’s football’s gold standard, the Americans are back on top under new coach Emma Hayes, who is the toast of the US soccer establishment after just nine games on the job in which her team have yet to trail.
It wasn’t always comfortable for the Americans, who went off as favorites on Saturday but were the worse team for nearly an hour after requiring extra-time to progress through the quarter-final and semi-final stages. But they depart the French capital as deserving Olympic champions behind the stunningly rejuvenated attack of Swanson, Trinity Rodman and Sophia Smith – the front line known as Triple Espresso – and a back four marshaled by center-back Naomi Girma, the lone bright spot of last summer’s World Cup washout who affirmed her status as one of the world’s best center-backs at 24 years old.
Underdogs on merit after barely scraping through the group stage as one of two third-placed teams, the Seleção flew out at the start of the game and immediately dispelled concerns they might sit in a low block. They should have gone ahead in the second minute when Ludmila had an attempt from 10 yards, only to send her shot into the arms of Alyssa Naeher. A brief spell of US possession resulted in a series of corner kicks but it wasn’t long before Ludmila was at it again. The Chicago Red Stars forward appeared to have finished beautifully from an acute angle at the quarter-hour mark only to have the goal ruled offside. Then she just missed connecting with a long cross from Gabi Portilho for a third near-miss in the first 18 minutes.