USWNT win gold medal at 2024 Paris Olympics: Team USA down Brazil, Marta 1-0 to win fifth Summer Games

FT: USA win gold

The redemption arc is complete. Roughly a year after their earliest ever exit at the Women's World Cup, the USWNT have picked up their fifth Olympic gold medal despite the monumental rebuild of the last year. A new look team was coupled with a coach in Emma Hayes that had just four games to prepare for this competition, and so expectations were tempered before they even step foot in France. Things have not been perfect en route to the gold medal, but make no mistake -- the U.S. proved they can still very much hack it at the top levels of the game. The U.S. now have a new batch of Olympic gold medalists to carry them into a new chapter, and that's before the real work even begins.

Another change for the USWNT

90'+5 Casey Krueger comes on for Mallory Swanson as the U.S. aim to close this one out, while Lynn Williams came on about 10 minutes earlier in the place of Sophia Smith.

End-to-end action

90'+4 We're going to close this gold medal game out with 10 minutes of stoppage time, and a flurry of chances from both teams. Adriana just had Brazil's most promising shot of the game from close range, forcing Alyssa Naeher into a big save just moments after Mallory Swanson aimed for the USWNT's second goal. Brazil may have just found a second wind, and with plenty of time still on the clock.

Marta with a chance

89' Brazil have a freekick of their own near goal, naturally picking Marta to take a chance from there. She's not terribly far off but she also can't get the bend right and so the ball goes out of play. It was perhaps the best chance they've had since Mallory Swanson's goal but it feels like the wind is out of Brazil's sails right now.

USWNT freekick near the box

83' The USWNT win a freekick near the goal, which Lindsey Horan takes. The wall takes care of the play at first and Horan can do little as the ball returns to her, but the game state still benefits the USWNT as they continue to find spaces in a frantic Brazil defense.

Emily Sonnett comes in

74' Emma Hayes makes her first change by bringing on Emily Sonnett for Tierna Davidson, who may still be dealing with the knee contusion that kept her out for two games during this tournament. It was a solid shift from Davidson, who has rightly earned a spot as one half of the USWNT's starting center back pairing, but Sonnett is an experienced player who is a good choice to close out this game.

USWNT attack livens up

66' Mallory Swanson's goal seems to have disrupted Brazil's momentum since they now appear a bit sloppier in the back, offering space for the USWNT's front three -- Swanson, Sophia Smith and Trinity Rodman -- to create some big chances. The latest sees Smith make her way in front of goal and send the ball wide, a sign of positivity that the U.S. are figuring things out but they will still feel the need to finish their chances and create a larger margin of victory because this game is far from over.

Marta's coming

61' Brazil goes to the bench, likely with some changes they would make regardless of the score, and make three changes -- Marta, Angelina and Priscilla come on while Ludmila, Duda Sampaio and Jheniffer come off. This marks Marta's final appearance at a major international tournament and regardless of how this game shakes out, her legacy as one of the women's game's biggest advocates and on-field legends is intact. She's still missing the elusive winners' medal after finishing as a runner up at the 2007 Women's World Cup and the 2008 Olympics, so all eyes will be on the 38-year-old to see if she can make a big impact one last time.

Brazil make a change

50' Brazil are forced to make a change early in this second half, as Ana Vitoria comes on for Vitoria Yaya after she picked up an injury.

Mallory Swanson goes for goal again

48' Another thing that's the same from the first half -- Mallory Swanson serving as the USWNT's best outlet in front of goal. She attempts to link up with Sophia Smith to pounce on a mistake from Brazil in the back but Smith can't quite execute and so Swanson's unable to do much after finding herself in a strong spot.

Defensive resolve from the USWNT

47' Brazil are sticking to the game plan to start the second half, with -- no surprise -- Ludmila and Gabi Portilho combining for some early looks at goal. The U.S. seems a bit more composed in the back to start this second half, though, with Tierna Davidson keeping Portilho away from goal with relative ease so far after the break.

Second half begins

There are no substitutions at the half, which forces questions about how the USWNT will change tack after a less-than-ideal first half. There's another 45 minutes to answer that question, so we'll see how the U.S. stacks up.

HT: BRA 0, USA 0

The USWNT will be very pleased to enter the break goalless because it has been a rocky start to this gold medal game for them. They played an even first half in terms of possession but Brazil have already had eight shots compared to the USWNT's two, and easily the best chances of the game courtesy of Ludmila and Gabi Portilho. The bad news for Brazil, though, is that they have not been terribly efficient by putting just three of those shots on frame, and will aim not to regret those missed chances.

It feels like Emma Hayes may need to make some changes at halftime, especially considering that some players are showing sighs of fatigue after the coach opted for limited rotation so far at the Olympics. The game state as it is, in which the USWNT have to chase a lot considering Brazil's dynamic play, may require some fresh legs to reduce pressure as well as finally find an edge in this match.

Alyssa Naeher with the save

45'+2 Gabi Portilho comes up with the best shot of the game, taking a chance close to goal that looks certain to go in. Alyssa Naeher is up for the task, though, and makes an equally important save that's even more impressive considering the sun's been in her way all half. Naeher has noticeably had her hand above her eyes to shield herself from the sun multiple times today.

Ludmila goes for goal again

40' Brazil have another opportunity at goal and no surprise that Ludmila is the one tasked with finishing it off. She combines again with Gabi Portilho and is looking to create a dangerous opportunity with a header, but Emily Fox is there to intercept and force it out for a corner, which the USWNT handle with relative ease.

Mallory Swanson goes for goal

35' Brazil have been the better side by far to start this game, but Mallory Swanson has had herself a decent game so far. She's finding a way to target little mistakes made by Brazil and create something out of almost nothing. The latest example? Goalkeeper Lorena takes a little bit of a heavy touch while playing the ball out of the back and Swanson makes a run to see if she can take advantage of that tiny window of opportunity and get a shot. She can't pull it off, but it's a smart play that could deliver something promising for the USWNT during this game.

Mallory Swanson on the counter

26' Brazil win back-to-back throw-ins near goal but once the USWNT musters a clearance on the second, Mallory Swanson turns out the jets and runs down the left flank. She's in a good position to score but the Brazil defense is up for the task. Goalkeeper Lorena makes a save and though the ball is back in play and a few U.S. players are in the box, Brazil are able to keep them at bay and keep this scoreless.

No penalty for Brazil

22' The referee briefly stops play as they check if Crystal Dunn committed a foul in the box, but the USWNT veteran is quickly in the clear and play resumes. The call's a little bit of a surprise, but luck falls the U.S.' way in that instance.

Another opportunity for Brazil

19' Brazil have clearly been the better team so far today, and so they deliver yet another promising opportunity to score. This time, it's Gabi Portilho who delivers a cross from the right side that Tierna Davidson can't get to, allowing Ludmila another chance at goal. She can't get the shot off but again, she's causing trouble for the USWNT and will no doubt be looking to turn that into a goal sooner rather than later.

Brazil causing trouble

16' Ludmila makes another run and catches Naomi Girma off guard, allowing her to get close to goal and score what initially appears to be the game's opening goal. Ludmila is just in an offside position so the goal is quickly called back, but she continues to showcase what could be a winning strategy for Brazil here -- and what could make for a very long day for the USWNT.

Mallory Swanson is near goal

11' The newly dubbed "triple espresso" -- Trinity Rodman, Sophia Smith and Mallory Swanson -- combine for a promising play, but Swanson's in a slightly awkward position and cannot get the shot off, though Lindsey Horan is near and may have been a better option. The ball goes out for a corner and is quickly cleared by Brazil.

USWNT with a freekick

5' The USWNT earn a freekick close to goal, which Lindsey Horan takes. Not much comes of it, signaling that there's area of improvement from their set pieces -- the USWNT are working with set piece specialist Gianni Vio but have scored just once from that type of opportunity at the Olympics, though it is an area of focus Emma Hayes identified early in her tenure.

Brazil shoot first

3' Brazil decide to send runners towards goal and cause some trouble for the USWNT's defense, with the usually composed Naomi Girma looking a little bit frazzled as Ludmila carves out a good spot in front of goal. She can't land a great shot, though, and so the play fizzles out. It feels like a good preview of Brazil's game plan, though, which might not make this an easy game for the USWNT.

First half underway

The USWNT kick things off in the center circle, and the Olympics women's soccer gold medal match has officially begun.

Winning the physical battle

The USWNT's physicality remains an advantage for them against most teams, even as their tactical identity becomes more complex under new head coach Emma Hayes. Here's Sandra Herrera on how the U.S. can take control of the game through the physical battle, which is one of her three keys for the gold medal match.

• Herrera: "A combination of coaching philosophy and player chemistry, the USWNT are playing with a confidence that was missing during the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup, and it's led on the pitch by the attacking trio of Mallory Swanson, Sophia Smith, and Trinity Rodman. Swanson's absence last summer due to knee surgery meant another blow to the U.S. offense, a rapidly elevated profile for Rodman in the player pool, and the pressure of expectations for first-time World Cup debutant players.
  
  "Now the trio is getting a chance to play together for the first time at a major international championship after just two years of training camps together. Throughout the tournament their connection has brought confidence, goals, and a delivered promise of a bright future. Brazil will bring a physical game, along with technicality on the ball, and it'll be crucial to keep composure while generating offense."

Brazil's peaking at the right time

Today's gold medal match is not just a rematch of the 2004 and 2008 equivalents, but also marks their first meeting since the Concacaf W Gold Cup final in March, which the USWNT won 1-0. This might not be the same matchup, though -- Brazil have grown a lot over the course of the last few months, becoming more organized in that time. Darian Jenkins predicts that Brazil will not try to defend, despite their improving ability to do so against the top teams, but might actually be a bit more open and make things interesting in Paris today.

Two changes for Brazil

Brazil head coach Arthur Elias made two adjustments to the team that beat Spain 4-2 in the semifinals on Tuesday, bringing on Duda Sampaio and Adriana for Angelina and Priscilla. Marta is back in the squad after a two match ban, but will be available off the bench. Here's a look at Brazil's team.

Brazil starting XI: Lorena, Tarciane, Duda Sampaio, Vitoria Yaya, Adriana, Jhenfifer, Yasmin, Ludmila, Thais, Gabi Portillo, Lauren

Substitutes: Taina, Rafaelle, Vitoria, Angelina, Marta, Da Silva, Priscilla

One change for the USWNT

Emma Hayes makes one change from the lineup that won the semifinal against Germany on Tuesday, bringing on Korbin Albert for Rose Lavelle in midfield. It's a fascinating change, perhaps inspired by the newfound energy the team had in extra time on Tuesday when Albert came on for Lindsey Horan. Horan will likely take on a more attacking role than usual as a result. Here's a look at today's team.

USWNT starting lineup: Alyssa Naeher, Emily Fox, Naomi Girma, Tierna Davidson, Crystal Dunn, Sam Coffey, Korbin Albert, Lindsey Horan, Sophia Smith, Mallory Swanson, Trinity Rodman

Substitutes: Casey Krueger, Lynn Williams, Jenna Nighswonger, Emily Sonnett, Jaedyn Shaw, Rose Lavelle, Casey Murphy

USWNT's newfound grit

The USWNT's run to the gold medal match marks a pretty big triumph for a new look team coached by Emma Hayes, who only had four games to prepare for the Olympics. Hayes locked in her starting lineup pretty quickly as a result and stuck to it throughout the tournament almost religiously, only making swaps through injury or suspension and being patient to select players off the bench. After their semifinal win on Tuesday, Hayes said she's sticking to her guns "because I want them to develop that. I want them to suffer. I want them to have that moment because I do not believe you can win without it," per The Athletic, and the bet seems to be paying off.

Here's Darian Jenkins on the USWNT's newfound grit that could help them win the gold for the first time in 12 years today.