Women’s soccer at 2021 Olympics: United States won bronze medal | Olympic Games

What had to happen, happened. The team, in theory, the strongest in women’s football suffered more than it should, but was left with a new Olympic medal.

The United States women’s team returned to the podium of the Olympic Games after its absence in the Rio 2016 edition and, although it was not the gold pursued, it obtained the bronze after winning with Australia (3-4), suffering until the end despite the advantage obtained at the pace of Megan Rapinoe, who scored a double, in the 8th and 20th minutes, in the hour of the match she played.

An Olympic goal in an Olympic Games. Achievement unlocked for the American soccer player. Genius shortly after starting the game to make it 0-1.

Kerr managed to equalize at minute 17 on a strong shot that goalkeeper Adrianna Nichole Franch was not well off and the ball slipped under his right arm.

Australia had Kerr’s head 1-2, but there Franch did win the game by clearing the ball at mid-range. And just a minute later, at m.20, there was a blunder in Alanna Kennedy’s clearance that Rapinoe took advantage of to make her double. Direct volley to the squad, a great goal to add to his first wonder.

His partner Carli Lloyd was ‘stung’. He wanted his double too and he achieved it, putting land in the middle that was already insurmountable for Australia. In the first minute of addition of the first half he made it 1-3 in a heads up and after leaving the locker room, in 51 ‘, he again imposed on Teagan Micah, with a shot below the legs, to put the 1-4. And he had the triplet in his boots, but they annulled the goal at 70 ‘for a clear offside.

Before, Australia tried to react, head first, as during the whole game, but it was insufficient. First a great cross header from Foord at m.54 made it 2-4. Five minutes later, Kerr smashed a shot off the post on a ball that went through the small area without finding a shotgun. They tried, but they swam to die on shore.

They put fear in the body of the North Americans thanks to a great goal from outside the area by Emily Gielnik in the minute 90, when the game was dying and the celebrations were already beginning on the bench, but a lateral center that ended without a shot on goal it was the only dangerous approach.

Bronze for the United States, which knows little by the expectations, arriving as world champion at the tournament, but which makes it return to the podium of the Olympic Games nine years later. Four golds, one silver and two bronzes in his locker.

For its part, the fourth place achieved by Australia is equal to the best result in a football tournament at the Olympic Games achieved by the men’s team in Barcelona’92.

Don’t miss out on the great jewel of the night, Rapinoe’s Olympic goal: