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Matchday Four
New Gold Dream For Women's Semi-Finalists
by Jeremy Ruane
A new name is set to be added to the winners of the gold medal at the Olympic Women's Football Tournament at Rio 2016, after the champions at both the 2008 and 2012 Olympiads, the USA, suffered a shock loss on penalties to Sweden on a dramatic day of quarter-finals action on August 12.
It means that Brazil, Canada, Germany and Sweden will all be vying for their maiden Olympic gold medal when the play-off matches for the final four teams commence on Wednesday morning, NZ time.
The reigning champions were all over the Swedes like a rash throughout the first half, but simply couldn't find the breakthrough their repeated attacks sought. And the longer this pattern continued, you just knew that the Scandinavians, who were the last team to qualify for Rio 2016, would turn the contest on its head.
Sure enough, that's exactly what early substitute Stina Blackstenius did on the hour in the Mane Garrincha Stadium in Brasilia, a goal which further heightened American anxiety.
Alex Morgan stepped up to the plate with the equaliser thirteen minutes from time, however, setting up a grandstand finish which evolved into an additional thirty minutes of play, during which both teams had goals disallowed and history was made when Lindsay Horan came on for Mallory Pugh to become the first fourth substitute to be used in a senior tournament, with an extra substitution permissible in extra time.
With no further scoring, it came down to a penalty shoot-out, during which both teams missed kicks. When Christen Press spurned the USA's second effort from twelve yards, goalkeeper Hope Solo indulged in some gamesmanship by changing her gloves before facing Lisa Dahlkvist's spot-kick.
The tactic didn't disrupt the Swede, however, and she promptly fired her country into the last four for the first time in twelve years, much to the despair of the USA, Olympic champions no more.
After the match, Solo, no shrinking violet when it comes to speaking her mind, unleashed the verbal equivalent of a double-footed tackle on Sweden by labelling the USA's opponents "cowards" for the defensive approach taken by the team guided by former USA coach Pia Sundhage.
When asked for a reaction, Sundhage's summation was akin to revenge - a dish best served cold! "I do not care", she said. "I am going to Rio. She is going home". And that, as they say, is that!
The other surprise came at the Arena Corinthians in Sao Paulo, where Canada stunned France 1-0 thanks to a Sophie Schmidt strike eleven minutes into the second half of a contest which was dominated by defensive play.
The third-ranked French, for all their attacking flair, couldn't find a way of breaking down the defensive maze put in place by Canada's coach John Herdman, who is now looking to improve upon the bronze medal finish his team clinched at London
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2012.
Germany edged the ten women of China 1-0 at the Fonte Nova Arena in Salvador thanks to a thumping twenty-five yard volley from Melanie Behringer thirteen minutes from time.
It was just reward for the Germans, who had looked the side more likely to score during a tight first half. Their hopes were boosted twelve minutes into the second spell when China's half-time substitute, Wang Shanshan, was sent off for her second bookable offence.
But just before the end, the "Steel Roses" spurned a glorious chance to take the game into extra time when Wang Shuang was brought down in the penalty area, but fired her spot-kick against the post, much to the relief of Silvia Neid and her charges.
Host nation Brazil wrapped up the night by edging Australia 7-6 on penalties, after two hours of tense football at the Estadio Mineirao had failed to produce a goal, despite the home team having the better of the opportunities.
"The Matildas"' goalkeeper, Lydia Williams, produced a couple of stunning saves to keep her team in the contest - one, late on from Andressa Alves, is a sure-fire contender for save of the tournament.
Australia weren't so creative, but substitute Chloe Logarzo came within the width of the crossbar of winning the match for Alen Stajcic's side late in normal time. There was still no separating the sides after an additional thirty minutes, much to the chagrin of a packed house, so to penalties we went.
All spot-kicks were converted until Marta, of all people, saw Williams save her effort, meaning that if Katrina Gorry converted, the host nation would be out. But Barbara denied the diminutive midfielder, and on we went without incident until Alanna Kennedy stepped up to take Australia's eighth penalty.
Had she converted, this would have levelled the shoot-out at 7-7, but Barbara - whose penchant for stepping forward off her line before the kick was taken was ignored by the match officials - plunged to her left to pull off a fine save and send the host nation into raptures, while the broken-hearted Australians wept unashamedly in defeat.
The semi-finals on Wednesday, NZ time, see Canada and Germany meeting in Belo Horizonte from 7am, after Brazil and Sweden have clashed for the second time at these Games, this time at the footballing cathedral that is the Maracana from 4am.
Details:
Brazil 0, Australia 0 aet Brazil, 7-6 on pens
Canada 1 (S. Schmidt (56)), France 0 HT 0-0
Germany 1 (M. Behringer (77)), China 0 HT 0-0
USA 1 (A. Morgan (77)), Sweden 1 (S. Blackstenius (61)) aet HT 0-0 FT 1-1 Sweden, 4-3 on pens
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