The Olympics ended with a game worthy of the surroundings.
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Germany has defeated Sweden 2-1 to win the women’s soccer gold medal for the first time.
Dzsenifer Marozsan scored early in the second half Friday as the German women’s team went on to a 2-1 win over Sweden.
Yet Sweden responded swiftly through Blackstenius, who converted a first-time ball from the right to set up a grandstand finale.
Forget the gold, Brazilians are praying that the match is not the action replay of the 2014 World Cup semi-final in which the Germans humiliated the hosts with the score of 7-1.
“This is something completely new, so this is definitely a new summit”, said Neid, who will not actually get an Olympic gold medal herself.
She was an assistant on Germany’s team that won the 2003 World Cup, then took over as coach of the senior women in 2005, leading the team to another World Cup title in 2007.
The US men’s basketball team has advanced to its third-straight Olympic gold-medal game, beating Spain 82-76 yesterday. And she looked simply world class when a deflected cross fell to her feet in the 48th minute.
The provider had a brilliant chance three minutes from time but could not beat a scrambling defence. Maroszan made the most of her first opportunity. The Germans found another goal off a free kick in the 62nd minute; the ball bounced off the post and off the shin of Swedish defender Linda Sembrant. Have a healthy Marozsan and good things happen.
After back-to-back goalless draws against South Africa and Iraq, Neymar and his team was greeted by boos from their own supporters. But the first half finished scoreless. All right, Sweden wasn’t trying to pull off a Scandinavian ode to Barcelona.
Ready to see how they’ll line up on the podium after it all?
“After 90 minutes it is a little bit of an empty feeling, but I said to the players afterwards we need to enjoy this silver medal”, said Sundhage, whose side beat the U.S. and Brazil on penalties to reach the final. “Really fast, intelligent, it’s really fun to watch and it’s great to play”. Not even a gold medal.
The Germans scored five goals in 18 minutes in Belo Horizonte, making an infinite stamp on worldwide soccer in its stunning domination of the host Brazilians. “When you have finally reached your goal it is pure joy”.
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The bronze medal at the 1996 Olympics in Georgia – secured with a 5-0 hammering of Portugal – offered little consolation for a semi-final golden goal defeat to Kanu’s Nigeria; while 2008’s 3-0 bronze-medal-match victory over Belgium couldn’t paper over the cracks of a last-four loss to rivals Argentina by the same scoreline.
