Brazil x Nigeria is underway. Brazil are up 1x0 after a goal by Gabi Nunes in the 38th minute, just 2 minutes after a Marta goal was called back. Let's use this thread for women's soccer and to follow any other Brazilian news at the Olympics. Brazil have a tough group, with Japan on Sunday and Spain on Wednesday. 2 third-placed teams qualify, and a win today goes a long way to making sure we are through already.
Brazil the better team in the second half, but no more goals. Nigeria did start to threaten again after the 70th minute with some subs, but 1x0 the final result. Only 2 days off before the next match.
Women's team lost 2x1 to Japan today after a late comeback. Japan had a first half penalty saved by Lorena, and brazil took the lead 10 minutes into the second half. But a late penalty (90th minute) led to the tie and a bad giveaway led to a winning goal for Japan in the 90+6th minute of the match. Brazil face the toughest team in the group next, Spain, on Wednesday. Since two 3rd place teams qualify, there is a still a decent chance Brazil can advance even with a loss, but we'll have a better idea of the chances after all groups complete the second round of matches today.
I actually caught the 2nd half. That 2nd goal from Japan was really nice. Our goal was nice as well. The ladies dropped the ball here. Don't think they were favorites in this game much less to madel, but giving up the lead that late was disappointing. On another note, they went off without giving a word to the press. Pretty sad since they ask for the media to cover and promote them and I think the media have done that giving them a lot of support ... and yet they stiff them after the loss.
Brazil advances if they beat or tie Spain. If they lose (and Spain are big favorites, so that is the expected result) then two things need to happen to advance: We need to stay ahead of Nigeria. If Nigeria lose or draw, we are ahead. If Nigeria wins, we depend on goal difference or goals scored. We need to be better than at least one 3rd place team in the other groups. Our group plays first on Wednesday, so if we hold on to third, we then have to wait and hope for Australia and Zambia not to win in Group B, which is not unreasonable, and Canada (and New Zealand) not to win in Group A, which is a bit of a toss up.
Brazil lost to Spain 2x0, most notably though, Marta got a red card late at the end of the first half when it was still 0x0 for a reckless/high boot to an opponent's head. Brazil have 3 points and 0GD which currently qualifies us as one of the third placed teams (Japan beat Nigeria, so Nigeria finished fourth, Spain are first and Japan second). Gruop B are playing right now and Group A play in 2 hours. As long as one of those groups remains with a third place team worse than us, than we qualify. Regardless, this might have been Marta's last match, unless the suspension is short and we can make the semis.
Brazil pulled off the upset over hosts France 1x0 to make it to the semis! Brazil had never beat France in women's soccer. Lorena had to save another PK and the team had to get through almost 20 minutes of added time, but they held on. Brazil x Spain will be the semi, so once again we'll be underdogs. The other semi is USA x Germany so Brazil need to pull off at least one more upset to get a medal.
Also, earlier this week Brazil got gold in Judo. Judo is the sport we have most medals in, historically, and also earned us a Bronze today: https://ge.globo.com/olimpiadas/not...has-em-24-horas-feliz-por-ter-aguentado.ghtml And Rebecca Andrade and the gymnastics team have been killing it: https://ge.globo.com/olimpiadas/not...istas-olimpicos-da-ginastica-veja-lista.ghtml
And Brazil did it. It's yet another match against Team USA in an Olympic final, after Athens and Beijing. Brazil was up 3-0, Spain scored, Brazil made it 4-1, and it ended 4-2. A campaign that has been nothing short of heroic. Brazilian soccer is in an Olympic final for the six straight Summer Olympiad: women in 2004 and in 2008, men in 2012, 2016, and 2020, and the women in 2024. This Saturday, é aquela corrente pra frente in support of these heroines.
That was a remarkable result. I haven't really been following as I'm busy moving this week. Once I could check I was hoping to see an upset like we pulled off against France. Instead we were 3x0 up! That 4th goal was huge. So now a medal is guaranteed. Brazil have lost 2 Olympic finals to the US. The two that you mentioned above. The US will be favorites again. Let's see if we can pull off another upset for the gold.
Quite the surprise for sure. I haven't followed the games but by all accounts, I've read that they've played better without Marta. So now for the final, with her available, a big decision will have to be made to bench her or not. Specially since it will probably be her last NT match.
Silver for Brazil. We were the better team in the first half but got caught on a balk behind the defense in the second half and weren't as aggressive and didn't create as many chances. That's 3 medals for Marta (3 silvers) in what is likely her last match. Only Rebeca Andrade has more among Brazilian women.
The women deserved to have won the gold metal having dominated especially first half and missing several made goals. Real shame.