Eniola Olatunji

The United States of America women on Saturday at the Parc des Princes in Paris France lifted their 5th Olympics Women football title and established dominance over the Samba Girls of Brazil with a lone goal victory.

USA got a free kick in her own half that was tossed to Albert Korbin who found Mallory Swanson scoring in the 57th minute after a gruesome goalless first half. 

The game looked even with 3-3 shots on target and 3-5 shots off target in the name of Brazil but in the lock down, Brazil blasted 2-1 shots wide but like the pattern of play of the men, Brazil got 57-43% ball possession meaning the Brazilians were in control of the game.

The Yankees were not relenting allowing 7-5 corner kicks in favor of Brazil and stressing the Brazilians to commit 14-12 fouls. The Americans did not watch their lines as the team was in 5-2 offside calls and the only yellow card of the match was flashed to Brazil’s Tar vane in the 81st minute by Ref Tess Olofsson of Sweden.

Brazil came through the Nigerian route in Group C beating Nigeria’s Super Falcon by a lone goal; lost 1-2 to Japan and also lost to Spain 0-2 but as a lucky loser faced France in the quarterfinal winning by a lone goal; was smart to beat Spain 4-2 in the semifinal.

The Yankee babes denied Zambia freedom by 3-0; dismantled the German Machine 4-1 and caged the Kangaroo Babes of Australia 2-1 before introducing virus into the Japanese High Tech game with a lone goal victory in the quarterfinal and then piped Germany again this time by a lone goal in the semifinal.

Thus USA clinched her 5th title having won in 1996; 2004; 2008; 2012 and now 2024. She got a Silver in 2000 and Bronze at the last games in Tokyo.

Brazil never won the title but this is her 3rd Silver having lost in the finals in 2004 against same USA; also 2008 against USA (meaning USA has conquered Brazil thrice in the final) and bagged bronze also thrice in 1996; 2000 and 2016.

The two teams met severally. At the Women’s SheBelieves matches of 2019 - USA 1 Brazil 0; 2021 - USA 2 Brazil 0 and 2023 - USA 2 Brazil 1. At two friendly matches that USA won 4-3 in 2017 and thrashed Brazil 4-1 in 2018.

Twice they met at the 2004 Olympics at the Group G game USA won 2-0 and the final USA won 2-1. Brazil won their encounter at the 2007 Women’s World Cup 4-0;at the 2011 world cup USA won by a lone goal after extra time.

A total of 76 goals were scored at the 2024 Paris Olympics women’s football event of 26 matches (2.92 goals per match) with Marie Antoinette Katoto of France emerging as the highest goal scorer with 5 goals in a grand  total 398,699 attendances though 43,813 people were at the stands in the finals played in Paris.