Brazil 0-1 United States: Swanson fires Stars and Stripes to record-extending fifth Olympic gold

Mallory Swanson marked her 100th cap with the winning goal as the United States defeated Brazil 1-0 to win a record-extending fifth Olympic gold medal in women’s football.

Two-time runners-up Brazil were seeking their first gold and thought they had taken the lead early on at the Parc des Princes, only for Ludmila’s strike to be rightly ruled out for offside.

Swanson used her pace to break clear soon after but was unable to get the better of Lorena, with neither side truly going close to finding a breakthrough in the first half.

The Selecao suffered a blow early in the second period when Vitoria Yaya was forced off the field on a stretcher and their outing soon got worse when Swanson fired home.

Chicago Red Stars forward Swanson held her line well, latched on to Korbin Albert’s throughball and calmly slotted past Lorena with 57 minutes on the clock in Paris.

Brazil could have taken a game of few clear-cut chances to extra-time, but an unmarked Adriana saw her header kept out by Alyssa Naeher in stoppage time as Emma Hayes’ team claimed gold.

The script is scripting

Mal scores her team-leading 4th goal of the Olympics to put us ahead in the Gold Medal Match — her 100th cap. pic.twitter.com/HoKZNuQ6TY

— U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team (@USWNT) August 10, 2024

Data Debrief: Swanson the golden girl for USA

Swanson was denied a dramatic goal on her 99th cap for the USA in their 1-0 extra-time win over Mexico in the semis, but she marked her century in the perfect manner as she scored for the fourth time this tournament.

The 26-year-old is the 44th player in USWNT history to reach that milestone and is the youngest since Amy Rodriguez (25) did so in 2012.

The USA’s fifth Olympic gold, coming 12 years after their last success in London, takes them four clear of Germany, Canada and Norway as comfortably the most successful side in the competition.