“I’m very proud of my team”, said Marozsan after the victory.
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The bronze medal match of the 2016 Olympics women’s soccer tournament is not something that either of these teams wanted to be in, but Brazil and Canada will have to make do with the chance to win third place instead of battling each other for gold.
For German women’s coach Silvia Neid, the success was the flawless sendoff in her last match after 11 years in charge.
Nonetheless, they more than held their own in the first half, and went in at half-time with the scores at 0-0.
With Brazil’s men taking on Germany in their final tomorrow, the boisterous home crowd roared on the Swedes in the final stages.
“Dzseny is 24 now and is only getting better as she gets older”, added Neid.
Marozsan had not exactly been having her best tournament ever for the German women’s national team. It follows the retirement of star striker Celia Sasic who, at age 27, expressed a desire to go back to school and raise a family after 111 appearances and 63 goals for the national team.
“What could be nicer than to have your last game with your team here, as a team coach playing for the gold medal in this fantastic stadium”, Neid said. Buchanan, whose speed and physicality normally allow her to thrive, has seen four yellow cards in four games played at Rio. She was named Federation Internationale de Football Association women’s coach of the year for 2010 and 2013.
Neid said for 34 years she has been a player, an assistant or a coach.
They then besieged the German goal in the closing minutes but Neid´s team clung on.
“She used to be a very emotional coach, especially for the young players, so that they were scared of her”, Angerer laughed when describing her friend and former coach.
“Both teams have made history”.
Germany had better hope that the women’s Olympic soccer final Friday against Sweden doesn’t come down to penalty kicks. Germany failed to qualify for the Olympics in 2012 but won the bronze the last three times they played, in 2000, 2004 and 2008.
Sweden had been criticised, most notably by outspoken United States of America goalkeeper Hope Solo, for their defensive tactics in upsetting the world champions and Brazil in the previous two rounds on penalty shootouts.
Sweden coach Pia Sundhage was chasing her third Olympic gold medal in a row, having led the United States of America to a tournament victory in 2008 and 2012.
The no. 2 ranked Germans, who are now one of only three women’s teams to win both the Olympics and World Cup, scored two goals in the second half, and although the Swedes got a goal back they could not get a second to take the game into extra time.
Following the goal, Sweden continued to press for the equalizer, but could not find a second goal as the match ended 2-1.
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Sundhage, known for breaking into song at news conferences, was asked if she had a tune for the moment.
