.Sam Borden, ESPN Elder WriterAug 10, 2024, 01:06 PM ETCloseSam Borden is an elderly author for ESPN.com.PARIS-- The united state girls's national group gained the Olympic gold award on Sunday, hammering South america, 1-0, in a game that needed a stout protective fill in the 1st one-half adhered to through a precise as well as calculated surge in the 2nd to refute Brazil and also its own fabulous leader Marta.It was a familiar finishing to a tournament that had actually been so much about what's brand-new for the USWNT: A brand new instructor in Emma Hayes, a brand new frontline of attackers and also a brand new expectation after the disappointment of last summertime's Female's World Mug all meshed together to result in a record-extending fifth Olympic name, and also initially since 2012, for the united state females, that never ever tracked at any type of aspect in their 6 matches in France.Mallory Swanson scored the succeeding goal in the 57th moment with a glossy finish after going through on target, however young midfielder Korbin Albert-- that delivered the ball-- and also Sophia Johnson, who smartly broke away coming from the stage show after recognizing she resided in an offside setting, were the companies. The moment Swanson buckled her shot past Brazil goalkeeper Lorena, the crowd at the Parc des Princes-- that included Tom Voyage as well as Megan Rapinoe-- exploded.It was actually Swanson's 4th target of the competition, the majority of among the Americans and also tied for second-most amongst all players in the competition. Brazil, which had been actually in demand for a lot of activity's onset, remained to precipitate looking for a counterpoise however couldn't discover its means with. United state goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher, that was her team's very most important gamer in the very first one-half, carried out not allow a goal in the knockout rounds.The suit was used the exact same field where the guys's staffs coming from Spain and also France played out an eight-goal standard in their final a day previously, and also girls's crews began at a rate that a minimum of meant a potential offending rockets, too.Mallory Swanson's objective supplied a 5th gold medal for the USWNT. Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile through Getty ImagesBrazil began without Marta, a choice which was easy to understand-- the team had merely trumped France and also Spain while she served a red-card suspension-- but still experienced unusual. And also Hayes went down Flower Lavelle coming from her lineup in favor of Albert, a seeming salute to Lavelle's trauma background and the probability of additional opportunity. It goes without saying, it was actually a selection that exercised perfectly.As they did in their trouble of Spain, the Brazilians visited pressing. Inside 2 minutes, Ludmila possessed a close-range shot spared through Naeher, a very early cautionary tale that felt like an arrowhead evaded. Unbothered, South america kept coming. Adriana danced deftly on completion pipe and almost pulled a fine coming from Crystal Dunn. Ludmila transformed Naomi Girma and whipped a fired right into the web that was actually dismissed for offside. Gabi Portilho defeated Tierna Davidson and also simply missed out on Ludmila with a hazardous cross before goal.Editor's Picks1 RelatedThe Americans possessed instants, too. Trinity Rodman's wonderful spin at midfield delivered her flying in the direction of objective as well as Swanson used her velocity too to attract a corner yet South america constantly experienced extra risky. If not for Naeher-- who provided an enchanting response save of Portilho in first-half standstill opportunity-- the USA would have been properly responsible for at the break.Instead, they equaled and able to find out with higher necessity as well as endurance. Johnson went across contemporary of Swanson's range and also Sam Coffey had a crack that swerved broad to receive the united state crowd back right into it prior to Albert discovered her area. A fast glimpse, a heady pass as well as Brazil was actually reeling.Marta, playing in her 6th Olympics as well as what is actually expected to become her final global, started at the hr yet was consistently bottled up. Four moments into 10 mins of discontinuance time, Adriana pressed a diving header at objective from close range that Naeher-- again == swatted away.Marta put her palms on her scalp. The American fans chanted in joy. One year after astonishing dissatisfaction, the USWNT was back.