U.S. women’s soccer team wins 5th gold medal, defeats Brazil 1-0 at Paris Olympics : NPR

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PARIS — The U.S. women’s soccer team is golden again.

The U.S. defeated Brazil in the gold medal match of the women’s soccer tournament at the Paris Olympics. Saturday’s 1-0 victory gives the Americans their fifth Olympic gold medal.

It’s a reversal of fortunes for the U.S. team, which has not won an Olympic gold medal since 2012 in London. The U.S. was knocked out in the quarterfinals at the 2016 Games in Rio, and had to settle for bronze three years ago in Tokyo.

The U.S. won every game at these Olympics and never trailed. Though they had some close contests. The Americans needed overtime in dramatic back-to-back 1-0 games to defeat Japan in the quarterfinals and Germany in the semis.

This title comes under the leadership of a new coach, Emma Hayes, and a revamped roster. The team has been transformed by a trio of young players: Trinity Rodman, Sophia Smith and Mallory Swanson.

The game was scoreless until the 57th minute, when Swanson, playing in her 100th match for the Untied States, scored, putting the U.S. on top.

Swanson is the eldest of the powerhouse trio of Americans, at 26 years old. She was a substitute on the 2019 team that won the Women’s World Cup in France, but she did not make the Olympic team in 2021. Then, in 2023 she tore her left patella tendon, months before the Women’s World Cup and faced a long recovery.

The game was also expected to be the final turn for Brazilian superstar Marta with her country’s international team. Playing in her sixth Olympics, she said it was time to hand the team over to the next generation.

Marta was not in the starting lineup, but came into the game in the 61st minute.

Brazil takes the silver medal and Germany received the bronze after defeating Spain in the third-place match.