Marta, Andressa Alves and Rafaelle all found the net for Brazil in the shoot-out with Lotta Schelin, Caroline Seger and Nilla Fischer doing likewise for Sweden before Dahlkvist settled the tie.
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This German team has been far from the almost flawless operation that won World Cups in 2003 and 2007.
Germany and host Brazil play in the men’s Olympic final on Saturday at the Maracana, marking the first time that a nation has had both its men’s and women’s teams in the gold-medal match at the same games.
It’s Christine Sinclair vs. Marta, one more – possibly final – time.
Sweden has beaten the odds to get to this point. Buchanan, whose speed and physicality normally allow her to thrive, has seen four yellow cards in four games played at Rio.
Germany had yet to play in Rio after traveling throughout the country for earlier matches. But this is football.
It’s safe to say, she parked the bus.
Unlike against the Australians, Marta converted from the spot, but then saw her ambition of capping a glorious career by finally winning a major worldwide title devastated.
“I think that’s all”, Lindahl said. “That discussion whether the women’s game is going one direction or another, that’s very interesting, but it’s not my task to make sure we have that discussion”.
There will be no United States, the three-time defending gold medalist and victor of four of the five gold medals ever awarded in women’s soccer.
There’s a soccer showdown at noon on Friday between Canada and the hometown Brazilian side. Neymar is, without question, the best player in this tournament and he’s been good in his last few performances, setting the record for fastest goal in the Olympics against Honduras.
Marta grew up playing street soccer with the boys in Dois Riachos, a town about 1,250 miles north of Rio de Janeiro.
It was midfielder Melanie Behringer who got the crucial goal on that occasion and the 30-year-old, in perhaps her last major tournament, has proved a vital contributor, scoring the opening goal, too, as Germany got revenge over Canada in a 2-0 semifinal win.
Sweden’s best finish was in Athens, when the team fell to Germany in the bronze medal match. Solo came out the victor on penalty kicks after a dramatic 2-2 draw. Brazil’s Cristiane and Sweden’s Kosovare Asllani also had their kicks saved. “As a matter of fact, on the contrary, because Sweden has played here before, they know atmosphere, they know the stadium, if anything, they would have an advantage”.
“With Marta you have to have a little extra attention to her, even though our team defense is really good and really organized”. However, some take her the wrong way and her tactics at this Olympics have split opinions, excellently summed up by journalist Ann Odong on Twitter. “It is so hard to put in words what I am feeling, maybe when we get to Rio and Olympic Village for the first time in the Olympic Games we can celebrate a little bit”.
“We have to try to pick up the pieces of everything and be strong again to go and fight for the bronze”, added Marta.
Marta has scored 104 goals in 107 global appearances. She was voted World Player of the Year five times in a row between 2006 and 2010. “When I started coaching, I wanted to play attacking football and take a lot of chances, especially with the USA team”, she said on Thursday.
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But winning the bronze will no doubt be the aim for a pair of fierce competitors who haven’t shied away from the big moments over their storied careers.
