Canada Beats Sweden in a Shootout for the Women’s Soccer Gold Medal

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Canada, a relentless team with an aging star, a sturdy defense and a taste for more after consecutive bronze medals, won its first gold medal in women’s soccer on Friday by defeating Sweden in a penalty shootout, 3-2, after a 1-1 tie in Yokohama.

Julia Grosso clinched Canada’s victory by converting her team’s sixth attempt in a shootout that featured more misses (seven) than makes (five). When her shot went in off Sweden goalkeeper Hedvig Lindahl, her teammates raced forward off the midfield line where they had been watching and buried her in a pile of red at the top of the penalty area.

“I honestly cannot even believe what just happened,” said Sinclair, Canada’s 38-year-old striker and captain. “For the last 40 days, we had a goal to come in here and change the color of the medal and we landed on top of the podium.”

Sweden’s players, who had taken an early lead on a goal by Stina Blackstenius in the 34th minute and created far more chances to score in regulation and extra time, collapsed to the turf, some of them in tears, after the shootout. Sweden, which had won all of its games in Japan until Friday, lost in the final for the second straight Olympics.

“I am trying to not feel it, wake up from this bad dream,” Lindahl said. “Congratulations to Canada, they defended well. That was our gold to lose.”

Canada had been the bronze medalist in the past two Olympic tournaments, but advanced to the final for the first time by beating its neighbor and nemesis, the United States, in the semifinals on Monday.

Trailing at halftime, Canada had tied the score in the 67th minute on a penalty kick by midfielder Jessie Fleming, awarded after a video review confirmed that Sweden defender Amanda Ilestedt had fouled Sinclair.

Sweden pressed hard for the winner before the final whistle and again in extra time, and it even had a chance to win the gold in the shootout, but Caroline Seger shot over the crossbar on her team’s fifth attempt.

That opened the door for Canada, and after Deanne Rose scored and Stephanie Labbe made a save, Grosso strode to the spot and scored the winner.

Fleming’s penalty kick in the second half was her second critical goal for Canada this week; she had also scored a penalty kick for the only goal in a 1-0 victory over the United States in the semifinals. The United States went on to beat Australia for the bronze.

Canada’s victory over Sweden delivered the first major international championship for Sinclair, one of her country’s most decorated and celebrated athletes. But the Olympic title also means that Quinn, who started the final, became the first openly transgender and nonbinary athlete to win an Olympic medal.

In the men’s competition, Mexico beat host Japan, 3-1, to win the bronze medal. Brazil and Spain will meet in the men’s gold medal match on Saturday.



Source : NYtimes