Rio de Janeiro: Sweden ended Brazil’s women’s dreams of a first Olympic football gold medal on Tuesday with a 4-3 penalty shoot-out win to book their place in the gold medal match at the 2016 Rio Games.
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Brazil’s preference to be on the ball gives Sweden the option to play a similar style to what it used to beat the Americans.
Having already toppled the three-time defending champion USA, also on penalties, the Swedish women followed the same defensive strategy that led American goalkeeper Hope Solo to label them “cowards”.
And she was under fire in the Rio heat as a flurry of early Brazilian attacks peppered the Sweden goal.
Women’s football legend Marta insisted the Brazil team will keep getting better despite an agonising semi-final Olympic exit on penalties to Sweden, which goalkeeper Barbara described as being like losing a family member.
Lisa Dahlkvist scored the crucial penalty on Sweden’s fifth attempt after Brazil’s Andressa saw hers saved by Hedvig Lindahl.
Rio de Janeiro (CNN) After two hours of near constant shrieking and wailing, the vast Maracana Stadium fell silent.
Germany, who won three consecutive Olympic bronzes between 2000 and 2008, defeated Canada 2-0 in the second semi-final.
“It’s as if we’ve lost a family member”, said the 28-year-old.
Sweden will be looking to ride the momentum that they have with this huge win, and look to advance against a strong Brazilian team.
In the 60th minute, Sweden did get one of its few scoring chances as Stina Blackstenius took a shot at the top of the box, but it did not have enough power to trouble Barbara. Sweden ousted the U.S., while Brazil got by Australia in quarterfinal shootouts. But even with that game to play, and a medal in its own Olympics no insignificant prize, it felt like the end of a run Tuesday afternoon. I will not apologise as we dominated the match and tried to find the best way to score.
Sweden’s Sofia Jakobsson, who played her own role in the tactical success by stretching the field with fresh legs as a second-half substitute, counts several Brazilian players as close friends from her time on pro teams in Russian Federation and now France.
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Speaking of yesterday’s performance, Marta said: “We didn’t lack opportunities”. In fact, she had only lost two sets in her Olympic career before falling in straight sets at the Copacabana venue. “So I’m very aware that we have to pay extra attention to her”. “I’m happy for us, but I’m sad for them”.
