PREVIEW: USWNT ready to battle with Brazil for Gold Medal at Paris Olympics

After back-to-back dramatic 1-0 overtime victories in the first two games of the 2024 Olympic Women’s Soccer Tournament, the U.S. Women’s National Team will face frequent foe Brazil for the gold medal at Paris 2024 on Saturday, August 10. Kickoff is set for 11 a.m. ET / 5 p.m. local at Parc des Princes in Paris, with broadcast coverage available on NBC, Telemundo and Peacock.

The USA is aiming for a record fifth gold medal in women’s soccer and the program’s first since 2012, playing in its sixth Olympic final in eight appearances and 11th final in 17 world championship appearances. Standing in the Americans’ way is Brazil, one of the USA’s most-frequent knockout round opponents on the global stage. It’s the third time that the North and South American powers will clash in the Gold Medal match at the Olympics after the U.S. emerged triumphant over Brazil at Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008.

ANOTHER EXTRA TIME THRILLER SENDS USWNT TO GOLD MEDAL MATCH

The USA-Germany semifinal showdown marked a match-up between two historic powers of the women’s international game and in another marathon effort, the U.S. came out on top with a 1-0 victory on August 6 in Lyon after some late heroics from 23-year-old Sophia Smith. Both teams were coming off 120 minutes of action in the quarterfinals and traded chances all evening, but remained deadlocked through 90 minutes. The breakthrough came in the 95th minute as forward Mallory Swanson found Smith cutting towards goal and the striker got there a moment before her defender, lifting it over the onrushing goalkeeper for the decisive goal. USWNT stalwart Alyssa Naeher made several crucial saves in the waning minutes of extra time to preserve the clean sheet and send the Americans to their first world championship final since the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

Despite the tight margins in the knockout rounds, the USWNT has yet to trail at the Paris 2024 Olympics. The last – and only — time the USWNT went an entire Olympics without trailing was during its run to the 2004 gold medal in Greece. Tuesday’s victory came in the USA’s 11th-ever extra-time match at the Olympics and marked just the second time that the USWNT has gone to overtime in back-to-back games at the Olympics. The only other occurrence came in the semifinals (2-1 win over Germany) and final (2-1 win over Brazil) of the 2004 Olympics in Athens.

U.S. OLYMPIC WOMEN’S SOCCER TEAM ROSTER BY POSITION (CLUB)

GOALKEEPERS (2): 18-Casey Murphy (North Carolina Courage), 1-Alyssa Naeher (Chicago Red Stars)

DEFENDERS (6): 12-Tierna Davidson (NJ/NY Gotham FC), 2-Emily Fox (Arsenal FC, ENG), 4-Naomi Girma (San Diego Wave FC), 6-Casey Krueger (Washington Spirit), 13-Jenna Nighswonger (NJ/NY Gotham FC), 14-Emily Sonnett (NJ/NY Gotham FC)

MIDFIELDERS (4): 3-Korbin Albert (Paris Saint-Germain, FRA), 17-Sam Coffey (Portland Thorns FC), 10-Lindsey Horan (Olympique Lyon, FRA), 16-Rose Lavelle (NJ/NY Gotham FC)

FORWARDS (6): 7-Crystal Dunn (NJ/NY Gotham FC), 5-Trinity Rodman (Washington Spirit), 15-Jaedyn Shaw (San Diego Wave FC), 11-Sophia Smith (Portland Thorns FC), 9-Mallory Swanson (Chicago Red Stars), 8-Lynn Williams (NJ/NY Gotham FC)

ALTERNATES (4): 20-Croix Bethune (Washington Spirit), 22-Jane Campbell (Houston Dash), 19-Hal Hershfelt (Washington Spirit), 21-Emily Sams (Orlando Pride)

RESILIENT RUN FOR BRAZIL

It’s been a hard-earned road for Brazil to reach its third Gold Medal match at the Olympics. The Seleção advanced from the group stage by the narrowest of margins as one of two third-placed teams. After topping Nigeria 1-0 to open the tournament, the South Americans conceded two goals in second-half stoppage time to fall 2-1 to Japan and then lost 2-0 to Spain. Its goal differential edged Australia by one goal for the second third-place knockout berth.

In the quartet of razor-thin quarterfinal match-ups, Brazil was the only team to triumph in regulation, narrowly besting host France 1-0 on a dramatic 82nd-minute goal from Gabi Portilho against the run of play.

Facing world No. 1 and reigning world champion Spain in the semifinal, Brazil got off to a running start with a sixth-minute own goal and then added another from Portilho in first-half stoppage time to go up 2-0 into the break. The South Americans extended their lead to 3-0 in the 71st and despite a late Spanish attempt to rally, Brazil responded with another goal and La Furia Roja’s tally in the 12th minute of second half stoppage time was too little, too late as the game ended 4-2.

AND THEN THERE WERE TWO

Following a highly competitive group-stage, all four quarterfinals of the 2024 Olympic Women’s Soccer Tournament were determined by the thinnest of margins. The semifinals provided another round of intrigue as the USA and Germany went down to the wire in a 1-0 American victory in extra time, while Brazil overcame reigning Women’s World Cup champion Spain in a wild 4-2 win.

The USA and Brazil have both previously reached the podium at the Olympic Games. The U.S. has the most Olympic gold and most total medals in the history of the competition, winning four golds, one silver and one bronze. Brazil has two silver medals, both coming from Gold Medal match losses to the United States.

GOLD MEDAL REMATCH

Saturday’s final at the Parc des Princes marks the third time that the USA and Brazil have clashed in the Gold Medal match at the Olympics. The teams first met in the final at Athens 2004, where the USWNT took the lead in the 39th minute behind a goal from 20-year-old Lindsay Tarpley, only for the Brazilians to equalize in the 73rd minute on a tally from Pretinha to send the match into extra time. In overtime, 24-year-old Abby Wambach scored a header off a corner kick in the 112th minute to lift the USA to its second gold medal and first since 1996.

Four years later, the teams squared off again in the Olympic final in Beijing and once again, the Americans proved victorious in extra time, this time prevailing 1-0 on a goal from Carli Lloyd in the 96th minute.

The teams’ three meetings in the Olympic final will tie USA vs. Japan for the most-played world championship final in women’s soccer history. It will be the seventh match-up all-time between the USA and Brazil in the knockout rounds of a major tournament, also tying USA-Japan as the most-played match-up in the history of women’s international soccer. The USA has won four of the six previous meetings between the teams in the knockout rounds at the World Cup. 

INSIDE THE SERIES: USA vs. BRAZIL

The Olympic final marks the 41st meeting all-time between the U.S. and Brazil and second meeting this year. Overall, the USA leads the series 32W-3L-5D and has won each of the last seven games, though nine of the last 10 games between the teams have been decided by two goals or fewer.

The U.S. and Brazil faced off in the final of the 2024 Concacaf W Gold Cup on March 10 at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego, Calif. The USA won 1-0 on a header from Lindsey Horan in the dying moments of the first half to clinch the victory and claim its 15th all-time title at a Concacaf championship tournament. Fourteen of the 16 players who saw action in that match for the USA are on this Olympic roster, including defender Emily Fox, who assisted Horan’s game-winner.

Prior to the Concacaf W Gold Cup Final, the teams’ last meeting in a competitive match came in their epic quarterfinal clash at the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup. In one of the most memorable and dramatic matches in USWNT history, the Americas prevailed 5-3 on penalty kicks after Abby Wambach’s header in the 122nd minute leveled the game at 2-2.

TRIPLE ESPRESSO

The U.S. attack at Paris 2024 has been spearheaded by a triumvirate of young, dynamic forwards in 22-year-old Rodman, 23-year-old Smith – whose 24th birthday falls on the gold medal matchday – and 26-year-old Swanson. The trio, who have dubbed themselves “Triple Espresso,” have scored nine of the USWNT’s 11 goals at the Olympics and have a hand in 10 of its 11 total goal contributions. All three are tied for the team scoring lead at the tournament with three tallies.

All three played key roles in propelling the USA to the Gold Medal match with late heroics in the quarterfinal vs. Japan and semifinal vs. Germany. Rodman answered the call against Japan at Parc des Princes, becoming the youngest player to score for the USWNT in an Olympic knockout round match since 20-year-old Lindsay Tarpley scored in the 2004 Gold Medal Match. Swanson teed up Smith for the winner against Germany and Smith has now been directly involved in a goal in four of the USA’s five matches at the 2024 Olympics and leads the team with 12 goal involvements in 2024. The striker leads the USA with eight goals this year and is tied for the team lead with four assists.

Swanson got the tournament started in compelling fashion, scoring a brace in the group stage opener against Zambia and added both a goal and an assist in the group stage victory over Germany.

MAL 100

With 99 international appearances entering Saturday’s gold medal match, Swanson is on the cusp of becoming the 44th player in USWNT history to reach the 100-cap milestone. At 26-years-old, Swanson is the youngest player to reach the century mark since 25-year-old Amy Rodriguez achieved the feat in 2012 and is the 15th youngest-player all-time to reach 100 caps.

A 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup champion, Swanson (formerly Pugh) scored in her senior team debut in January of 2016 at the age of 17, becoming the youngest player to debut for the U.S. in the previous 11 years.

Swanson is competing in her second Olympics, making her Olympic debut in 2016 and becoming the youngest goal scorer in U.S. Olympic history when she scored in the group stage against Colombia at the age of 18.  The 26-year-old already ranks in the top 20 in USWNT history in both goals (37 goals – 16th) and assists (31 assists – 19th).

AT HOME IN FRANCE

The USWNT has found a second home in France, winning 13 consecutive matches in France dating back to the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup, its longest winning streak in any country outside of the United States. Three of those games have come at Parc des Princes, a 3-0 group stage win vs. Chile in 2019, a 2-1 triumph against host France in the quarterfinals during one of the most memorable matches of that Women’s World Cup and most recently, Saturday’s 1-0 quarterfinal victory vs. Japan.

Seven players on this Olympic squad – Tierna Davidson, Crystal Dunn, Lindsey Horan, Rose Lavelle, Alyssa Naeher, Emily Sonnett and Swanson – were on the roster for the 2019 Women’s World Cup. Davidson tallied two assists in the group stage win over Chile at Parc des Princes while Naeher, Dunn, Lavelle and Horan all featured in the quarterfinal victory over France, which the USA won behind a brace from now-retired Megan Rapinoe.

Parc des Princes is home to famed France club Paris Saint-Germain and one of the home venues for midfielder Korbin Albert, who joined PSG in January of 2023, giving up her final two seasons of collegiate eligibility. Albert had a strong 2023-24 campaign for PSG, appearing in 27 matches across all competitions and scoring three goals while helping PSG win the French Cup and take second in the league behind perennial powers Olympique Lyon. Albert made history in the USA’s July 31 win over Australia, coming on in the second half and scoring what proved to be the game-winning goal in the 77th minute. The strike from distance was Albert’s first international goal, making her the first player in USWNT history to score her first career goal at an Olympics.

Horan, who led Lyon to the league title and this year’s UEFA Women’s Champions league final, kicked off her professional career with PSG, joining the club straight out of high school at the age of 18 and becoming the first American woman to skip college soccer to turn pro. Horan played for PSG from 2012 to 2016 and scored nearly 60 goal across all competitions before returning stateside to play for the Portland Thorns.

EMMA ERA STARTING STRONG

Since the longtime head coach at Chelsea FC officially took over the helm of the USWNT in late May, head coach Emma Hayes is unbeaten (8W-0L-1D) in her first nine matches with the USWNT, with the first five results coming via shutout. The U.S. is yet to trail at any point during its first nine games under Hayes.

Hayes is the eighth head coach to lead the USWNT at a major tournament and the first to win his or her first major tournament match by a margin of three or more goals. Hayes joins Anson Dorrance as the only head coaches in USWNT history to win their first four matches at a major tournament, with Dorrance winning all six games with the USWNT at the inaugural FIFA Women’s World Cup in 1991.

Hayes is looking to become just the fourth USWNT head coach to win their first major tournament, with Dorrance leading the U.S. to the 1991 FIFA Women’s World Cup, Pia Sundhage leading the Americans to a gold medal at the 2008 Olympics and Jill Ellis helping the U.S. to its third World Cup title in 2015.

USA TEAM & OLYMPIC ROSTER NOTES

• Four of the players on this roster have 100+ caps, led by midfielder and captain Lindsey Horan with 155. Crystal Dunn has 154 international appearances followed by Alyssa Naeher (111 caps) and Rose Lavelle (106).
• Lindsey Horan made her 155th international appearance vs. Germany, moving into a tie with Michelle Akers and Christen Press for 23rd on the USWNT’s all-time caps chart.
• Mallory Swanson made her 99th international appearance vs. Germany and is now just one cap away from becoming the 44th player in USWNT history to reach the 100-cap milestone.
• Jenna Nighswonger is the least experienced on the 18-player Olympic roster with 15 international appearances.
• Fourteen of the 22 players on this roster were born after the 1996 Olympics, the first-ever Olympics to feature women’s soccer.
• Forward Mallory Swanson is the top scorer on this roster with 37 international goals, followed by Horan with 35, Dunn with 25, Lavelle with 24 and Smith with 23.
• Smith, Swanson, forward Trinity Rodman and Germany forward Lea Schüller are tied for third in scoring with three goals at Paris 2024, trailing only France’s Marie-Antoinette Katoto (5 goals) and Zambia’s Barbra Banda (4).
• Horan, Smith and Swanson have two assists each this tournament, tied for the team and tournament lead.
• Five different players have scored for the U.S. at this Olympics: Rodman (3), Swanson (3), Smith (3), Williams (1) and Albert (1).
• The USA’s young trio for forwards has led the way in the tournament with nine of 11 goals coming from 26-year-old Swanson (3 goals, 2 assist), 23-year-old Smith (3 goals, 2 assists) and 22-year-old Rodman (3 goals, 1 assist).
• Rodman and Smith either scored or assisted in all of the USA’s group stage games at the 2024 Olympics, the first time a pair of USA teammates had done so in an Olympic group stage since Alex Morgan and Abby Wambach at London 2012.
• Alyssa Naeher and Naomi Girma have played every minute so far for the U.S. this Olympics.
• Thirteen different players have scored so far for the USWNT in 2024 – led by eight goals from Smith, five goals each from Swanson and Jaedyn Shaw, four from Horan, three from Rodman, two goals each from Alex Morgan, Olivia Moultrie, Tierna Davidson, Nighswonger and Williams, and one each from Albert, Dunn and Lily Yohannes.
• Rodman, Smith and Swanson lead the USA with four assists in 2024, followed by Horan and Lavelle with three apiece and Midge Purce with two. Eight other players have one assist on the year.
• Overall, 19 different players have been directly involved in a goal for the USA in 2024, led by 12 goal involvements from Smith (8 goals, 4 assists) and nine from Swanson (5 goals, 4 assists).

IN FOCUS: BRAZIL | FIVE THINGS TO KNOW
Current FIFA World Ranking: 9

CONMEBOL Ranking: 1
Olympic Appearances: 8th (1996, 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016, 2021, 2024)
Best Olympic Finish: 2004, 2008 (Silver Medal)

Record vs. USA: 3W-32L-5D
Coach: Arthur Elias

BRAZIL OLYMPIC WOMEN’S SOCCER TEAM ROSTER BY POSITION (CLUB)

GOALKEEPERS (2): 1-Lorena (Grêmio FBPA), 12-Taina (América Mineiro)

DEFENDERS (6): 2-Antonia (Levante UD, ESP), 3-Tarciane (Houston Dash, USA), 4-Rafaelle (Orlando Pride, USA), 6-Tamires (SC Corinthians), 13-Yasmim (SC Corinthians), 15-Thaís (UDG Tenerife, ESP)

MIDFIELDERS (3): 5-Duda Sampaio (SC Corinthians), 8-Vitoria Yaya (SC Corinthians), 17-Ana Vitoria (CA Atlético Madrid Femenino, ESP)

FORWARD (7): 7-Kerolin (NC Courage, USA), 9-Adriana (Orlando Pride, USA), 10-Marta (Orlando Pride, USA), 11-Jhennifer (SC Corinthians), 14-Ludmila (Chicago Red Stars, USA), 16-Gabi Nunes (Levante UD, ESP), 18-Gabi Portilho (SC Corinthians)

ALTERNATES (4): 19-Priscila (SC Internacional), 20-Angelina (Seattle Reign FC, USA), 21-Lauren (Madrid CFF, ESP), 22-Luciana (Ferroviária) 

BRAZIL TEAM NOTES

• Guaranteed a medal at Paris 2024, Brazil will match its previous best showings at the Olympic Women’s Soccer Tournaments, finishing runner-up at Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008. The Seleção also finished fourth in 1996, 2000 and 2016.
• Brazil is one of seven teams to have medaled at both the Olympics and the Women’s World Cup alongside China, Germany, Japan, Norway, Sweden and the USA.
• The Seleção has qualified for all eight Olympic Women’s Soccer Tournaments. It punched its ticket for Paris 2024 as champion at the 2022 Copa America Femenina in Colombia, its fourth-straight South American title.
• Brazil had a disappointing performance at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, failing to advance from the group stage for the first time since 1995. After an opening victory vs. Panama, a loss to France and scoreless draw with Jamaica weren’t enough to get Brazil through to the knockout rounds.
• The South Americans’ last major international tournament came as a guest nation at the inaugural 2024 Concacaf W Gold Cup, where they finished runner-up to the United States after a 1-0 loss.
• With 201 caps and 126 international goals, Marta is far and away Brazil’s most-experienced player as well as one of the top goal scorers all-time in the history of women’s international soccer.
• The legendary striker missed Brazil’s quarterfinal and semifinal matches due to a red card suspension, but the 38-year-old is available for the Gold Medal match in what is expected to be her final match on the world stage. She announced earlier this year that she would retire from international soccer at the end of 2024, capping off an incredible career that included six Olympics and five FIFA Women’s World Cups plus six FIFA World Player of the Year awards.
• Rafaelle and Marta both play for the Orlando Pride in the National Women’s Soccer League, along with 27-year-old forward Adrianna and alternate midfielder Angelina. Playing alongside U.S. alternate Emily Sams. Marta has five goals in 13 appearances for the league-leading Pride who are unbeaten through 16 games this season.
• The 2023 NWSL MVP, Kerolin plays for the North Carolina Courage alongside U.S. goalkeeper Casey Murphy, though she has yet to appear for the club this season as she has been working her way back from an ACL injury. Defender Tarcine also competes in the NWSL for the Houston Dash while forward Ludmila recently signed for the Chicago Red Stars.
• Ten of the remaining 22 players on Brazil’s Olympic roster play domestically in Brazil, headlined by six players from long-time league power SC Corinthians, while the remaining five players ply their trade in Spain.