The American women’s soccer team is once again on top of the world.
The national team defeated Brazil 1-0 at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris and won Olympic gold, the first since 2012.
Brazil, who were strong before the USA dominated in attack, scored a goal in the 15th minute that was quickly ruled out for offside. The score was tied until the 57th minute, when Mallory Swanson scored in front of the goal off an assist from Korbin Albert to give the USA a 1-0 lead.
The Brazilian attack came to life in the last minutes of the game, and the goal attempt during the 10 minutes of stoppage time almost equalized, if goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher did not save with a catch.
Instead, the USWNT won and hugged all over the field as the song “Born in the USA” played over the stadium speakers.
The U.S. has failed to reach gold medal contention in the last two Olympics, taking bronze in 2020 and losing in the quarterfinals to Sweden at the 2016 Rio Games.
Mallory Swanson recounts watching the 2012 US women’s soccer team win Olympic gold — at Buffalo Wild Wings
Mallory Swanson after giving the USA a 1-0 lead.
Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile via Getty Images
This is the USWNT’s first major international win since the 2019 World Cup, when they defeated the Netherlands for gold. Since then, they have had disappointing outings, from bronze at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics to the 2023 World Cup, where they lost in the round of 16.
They have since brought in a new manager in Emma Hayes, and several veterans have been left off the roster as younger players have become stars, such as Trinity Rodman and Sophie Smith.
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Lindsey Horan hugs manager Emma Hayes as Lynn Williams, Trinity Rodman and Jaedyn Shaw look on.
Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile via Getty Images
Rodman and Smith told reporters, including PEOPLE, two days before the game that they were too young to remember the last time the USWNT won gold, in London 2012. Goal scorer Swanson, meanwhile, said she remembers watching it as a child in Buffalo Wild Wings.
“One of my good friends from my team growing up texted me the other day saying, ‘Remember when we watched the women’s team in 2012 … how she won gold at Buffalo Wild Wings?’ ” Swanson, 26, said on August 8 in Paris.
“It’s kind of crazy that I get a chance to do that. But yeah, I think that kind of full-circle moment was pretty cool.”
Trinity Rodman Saw Meme About US Football Team Winning With Pink Hair — And Agrees ‘We Need Color’
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Megan Rapinoe posed for a photo ahead of the gold medal game between the USA and Brazil.
Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile via Getty Images
Former USWNT stars came out to support the current team, including Tobin Heath, Ali Kreiger and Megan Rapinoe, who was all over the place at the Paris Games with her fiancee, former WNBA star and five-time Olympic gold medalist Sue Bird.
Along with the athletes, Tom Cruise was in the building to cheer on Team USA. He is scheduled to perform a parachute stunt during the closing ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympics, as the Summer Games move to Los Angeles in 2028.
To find out more about all the Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls, come to people.com and check out the live coverage before, during and after the games. And sign up for Going for Gold, our Olympic newsletter, to deliver the biggest stories from the Games straight to your inbox. Watch the Paris Olympics and Paralympics starting July 26 on NBC and Peacock.
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Source: HIS Education