After last year's early World Cup exit, the U.S. emerged victorious in Paris, completing a return to the top of the sport.
The U.S. women’s national team dropped into an exhausted and joyous heap on the pitch of Parc des Princes, tears flowing after defeating Brazil 1–0 to claim its first gold medal since 2012. Coach Emma Hayes warned that Saturday’s Olympic final wouldn’t be pretty. And ugly it was, with the USWNT gutting out a victory behind a brilliant goal from Mallory Swanson. Contending with heavy legs, bogged down by six games in 16 days and a limited rotation, the U.S.
There was a real sense that the USWNT simply refused to lose this gold-medal match—a stubbornness best exemplified by the heroics of veteran goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher. She made severalto maintain a clean sheet, the most astounding of which came in stoppage time. Naeher denied Brazil a close-range header, stretching to paw away what would have been a last-minute equalizer.Hayes will and should be applauded for cultivating a winning mindset in only 10 games at the helm of the U.S. team.
Swanson scored the lone goal in Saturday's gold-medal match to give Team USA a 1–0 win. / Simon Bruty/Sports Illustrated
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