United States defeats Brazil to earn gold medal in women's soccer at Olympics
For the first time since 2012, the United States women’s soccer team is bringing home the gold. Team USA defeated Brazil in the gold medal match of the Paris Olympics on Saturday, earning a 1-0 victory.
The lone goal in the match was scored by Mallory Swanson in the 57th minute. The second-half goal capped an incredible performance by Swanson in Paris.
The gold medal is the fifth for the United States in total in women’s soccer. In addition to the 2012 Olympics, Team USA also won the gold in 1996, 2004 and 2008.
“The heart, the determination, the grit, everything about these players in unbelievable,” USWNT coach Emma Hayes told NBC after the win. “I’m just so proud.
“I was desperate to do well for this country. I’m so emotional because it’s not every day you win a gold medal. … I love America. It made me.”
While Swanson scored the only goal of the game, it was Alyssa Naeher who ensured that Brazil was held off the scoreboard. Naeher made four saves, including a critical one late, to secure the win.
Team USA beat Germany 1-0 in the semifinals on Tuesday to advance to the gold medal match. It took the United States playing six matches in 16 days to come away with the gold.
Germany went on to win the bronze medal in the Paris Olympics.
The gold medal for the United States in the Paris Olympics came after Team USA was knocked out in the Round of 16 in the World Cup last summer.
Dawn Staley, Kamilla Cardoso placed interesting wager on USA vs. Brazil gold medal match
South Carolina women’s basketball coach Dawn Staley was on hand for Team USA’s gold medal match against Brazil on Saturday, cheering from the stands.
Staley had a little extra riding on the outcome of the USA vs. Brazil match as she made a friendly wager with her former player Kamilla Cardoso. Staley revealed the bet, which involves wearing jerseys, on Twitter Saturday morning.
Cardoso came over from Brazil to play basketball in the United States. She started her college career at Syracuse, before transferring to play her final three seasons for Dawn Staley and the Gamecocks.
Cardoso won a pair of national titles during her time in Columbia, including this past season as South Carolina was a perfect 38-0, capping off the perfect year with a win over Caitlin Clark and Iowa in the national title game.
Cardoso was named the Most Outstanding Player in the NCAA Tournament after scoring 15 points with 17 rebounds against the Hawkeyes.
As for Dawn Staley, she has been at South Carolina since 2008 and has built the Gamecocks into a powerhouse.
South Carolina has won three national titles under Staley and has also reached the Final 4 six times.