August 07, (THEWILL) – Brazil defeated World Cup champions, Spain, 4-2 in the Olympic women’s football semi-final on Tuesday, earning their place in the gold medal match against the United States. The game, held in Marseille, saw Brazil take an early lead through an own goal by Irene Paredes, followed by goals from Gabi Portilho, Adriana, and Kerolin.
Spain, making their Olympic debut after winning the 2023 World Cup, managed to score twice in the latter stages of the match. Duda Sampaio’s own goal and Salma Paralluelo’s effort briefly gave Spain hope, but it was not enough to overturn Brazil’s lead.
The victory guarantees Brazil at least a silver medal, matching their best Olympic performances from 2004 and 2008. They will face the United States in Saturday’s final at the Parc des Princes in Paris, aiming to improve on their previous silver medals.
Spain will compete for the bronze medal against Germany in Lyon on Friday. Despite the presence of Ballon d’Or winner Aitana Bonmati, the Spanish team struggled to replicate their World Cup form in this semi-final match.
Brazil’s success came without their captain Marta, who was suspended for this game. Their journey to the final included a narrow qualification from the group stage including a 1-nil defeat of Nigeria and a quarter-final victory over tournament hosts France.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
