PARIS, FRANCE – AUGUST 10: Tierna Davidson #12 of Team United States and Jheniffer #11 of Team Brazil battle for the ball during the Women’s Gold Medal match between Brazil and United States of America during the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Parc des Princes on August 10, 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)
It all comes down to this. After a grueling stretch of five games in 13 days, the United States women’s national team faces Brazil for the gold medal. If they win, it would be their first since the 2012 London Games, which capped off a streak of three straight golds. Since then, the USWNT won bronze in Tokyo and did not medal in 2016. The USWNT is coming off two straight matches that went into extra time.
The United States is led by the “trident,” AKA Sophia Smith, Trinity Rodman and Mallory Swanson, who fittingly each have three goals in this tournament. The team has also been rejuvenated by new coach Emma Hayes, whose sometimes unconventional tactics seem to be resonating with the group.
Saturday’s match will also see the return of Brazilian soccer icon Marta, who was suspended for the last two games after receiving a straight red during the group stage. This is the final international tournament for Marta, who is retiring this year, and her last chance to win her first major international title with Brazil. Marta has two Olympic silver medals from the 2004 and 2008 games, and will be trying to earn her first gold…but the U.S. isn’t just going to let her take it.
How to watch Olympic gold medal game: United States vs. Brazil
Date: Saturday, August 10
Time: 11 a.m. ET | 8 a.m. PT
Location: Stade de France | Saint-Denis, France
Channel: NBC, Telemundo
Streaming: NBCOlympics.com, Peacock, Fubo
Follow along with Yahoo Sports for live updates, highlights and more as the United States takes on Brazil in the gold medal match on Saturday.
Live44 updates
United States 1, Brazil 0
The goal stands! Swanson breaks the draw in the 57th minute, taking advantage of Brazilian missteps to take the lead and put the U.S. in a much more comfortable place.
GOAL MALLORY SWANSON
The USWNT scores with a brilliant assist from Korbin Albert, as Swanson gets the fabulous finish. The play will be checked for offsides and it’ll be close.
A great chance doesn’t go through, as Horan threads the ball through to Rodman but overshoots the kick.
Brazil gets a good chance with a throughball from Gaby Portilho to forward to Ludmila. Fox gets her foot on the ball first, and draws the foul to give the ball back to the U.S.
Vitoria Yaya is still being tended to on the sideline, looking to be in pain. Still unclear what the injury could be but it’s likely something on her lower body.
The U.S. finally gets a couple of good looks, with a good look from Smith across to Swanson, followed by a few more chances. Sam Coffey eventually takes a kick with way too much sauce and it goes out, high over the goal.
Brazilian midfielder Vitoria Yaya is down, and is eventually taken off on a stretcher. It is unclear what was wrong, but she is replaced by Ana Vitoria.
Sophia Smith gets a great run and an attempted pass to Mallory Swanson that is broken up by Brazil’s defense, but the Brazilians quickly turn it around to the other end of the field. Once again, the United States is struggling on those transitions, but that kind of offensive play is exactly the kind that could lead to a goal.
Brazil’s Gaby Portilho gets an early run, but Tierna Davidson does a great job of holding her off, and the ball goes out for a goal kick.
The second half is underway for USA vs. Brazil. Will the U.S. be able to fend off Brazil and break the stalemate to take gold?
Even with a tough first half, the United States has some USWNT legends in the house to cheer them on. Megan Rapinoe, Tobin Heath and Ali Krieger — all champions themselves — are in Paris’s Parc des Princes showing their support.
This game might be a tough one, but luckily some things — Trinity Rodman putting defenders through a spin cycle — never change.
This is not the kind of game the U.S. would like to be having, with the defense looking unsettled and the team unable to hold the kind of control over the ball that they’re used to. It’s scoreless at least — thanks to Alyssa Naeher — but Brazil has been far more of a threat in this first half.
The best option for Emma Hayes and the USWNT is to make some substitutions at halftime or early in the half. A few fresh legs, especially to shore up the defensive end, will be key.
In terms of offense, the USWNT’s best chance is to wait for Brazil to make a mistake and nail a shot. With this front three, it’s absolutely possible to take a lead with that strategy, but they need to keep Brazil out of the net first.
United States 0, Brazil 0 at halftime
It’s been a fast, physical game so far, with Brazil taking advantage of a tired U.S. squad to get in several good looks.
Another shot from Brazil catches the defense off-guard but goes out. This is the most unsettled the U.S. defense has looked all tournament, and they have been lucky with some of these misses.
Gaby Portilho gets in a shot that catches the back line off-guard and is barely saved by Naeher. Fox is able to keep Ludmila from getting the rebound and it goes out for a corner. Incredible save by Naeher, but one that ideally she wouldn’t have to make.
Swanson takes a free kick from far outside the box, but Brazil gets a head on it. Korbin Albert has been officially warned after a sloppy foul on Ludmila.
Another Brazilian corner kick. Lindsey Horan gets her head on it to get it out to Smith, but Brazil kicks it off Smith to get the throw-in. The U.S. has been struggling on transitions, unable to hold on to the ball after fending off Brazilian set pieces and plays. It’s something to work on as the game continues.
Another dangerous chance for Brazil, as Emily Fox keeps Ludmila from getting her head on Gaby Portilho’s cross. Brazil gets a corner kick but the U.S. is able to get it out of the box.
Emma Hayes has shifted the lineup slightly in response to this first 30 minutes from Brazil, having Trinity Rodman push back and play more in the midfield when Brazil has the ball. Rodman is an asset on defense as well as offense, and will have the speed to hold off Ludmila and Yasmin on Brazil’s left side.
Tina Stanley is a news writer for Barnard Griffin News. She loves to write about arts, entertainment, lifestyle, and home news. She has a passion for writing about things that make people happy.
