Brazil record statement win over Spain to set up final with USA at Paris 2024

Brazil have beaten Spain 4-2 in the semi-final of the Paris 2024 Olympics to set up a gold-medal showdown with the USA on Saturday.

World champions Spain were favourites but it was Brazil who raced into a one-goal lead after a calamitous mix-up from Cata Coll in the Spain goal saw captain Irene Paredes turn the ball into her own net.

Strikes from Gabi Portilho and Adriana either side of the interval saw Arthur Elias’ side take a deserved 3-0 lead as the game approached its closing stages.

Salma Paralluelo gave Spain a glimmer of hope with a late header that was diverted into her own net by Duda Sampaio before a breakaway goal from Kerolin on the stroke of the 90th minute restored Brazil’s three-goal cushion.

Spain’s No. 9 scored a second deep into added time but it wasn’t enough for Montse Tome’s side, who will now face Germany in the battle for bronze.

After Spain had put Brazil aside in a convincing 2-0 group stage win just seven days ago, it was hard to see the game going any other way tonight but Elias’ side looked a changed team following their 1-0 win over France in the last eight.

It was the early pressure that forced the mistake from Coll as she miss-hit her clearance straight into her Barcelona team-mate before it deflected back into their own goal.

But it was Brazil’s quality that made them seem the more likely to score the game’s second goal and after Ludmila and Priscila had squandered golden chances, Portilho made no mistake when she guided the ball home after being found by a delightful cross from Yasmin on the left just seconds before the break.

Despite La Roja dominating the lion’s share of possession it was Brazil that were creating the chances, and after knocking on the door for a third, they eventually found it through Adriana, who headed home from close range after hitting the bar seconds earlier following a superb counter-attack.

Paralleulo’s header from a corner – that Sampaio made a complete mess of to deflect into her own net – saw Spain threaten a comeback, but Coll’s kicking was once again at fault as she scuffed her clearance to allow Brazil to break through for a fourth through Kerolin.

An almost identical corner routine saw Spain double their tally for the evening thanks to Paralluelo once again but the 15 minutes of added time eventually came to an end to the relief of an exhausted but euphoric Brazil side.

They will now look to recover as quickly as possible ahead of their meeting with four-time Olympic champions USA, who beat Germany 1-0 in the earlier semi-final thanks to a goal in extra-time from Sofia Smith.

Brazil thoroughly deserved their victory tonight for the quality they showed throughout the 90 minutes and the clear-cut chances they managed to create, but their work-rate off the ball was integral to stopping Spain from finding their rhythm.

Elias’ side made their intentions clear early on as 19-year-old Priscila clattered into Paredes after 90 seconds. However, this is not to say they played a dirty game but instead that they were sharp into tackles and made sure the technicians in the Spain side were unable to get their foot on the ball and dictate play.

The world champions cruised through the group stage with a perfect record after sides sat back and allowed them to control proceedings but after Colombia showed the value of trying to upset their rhythm, Brazil followed this blueprint.

The Brazilians were out on their feet by the end of the 90 minutes but their incredible work-rate, intensity and pressing was crucial to their victory tonight.

While she may have squandered a chance to make it 2-0 in the opening period, Ludmila was instrumental in large parts of what Brazil did well this evening , particularly in the first half.

Her energy up and down the right hand side along with her wonderful range of passing in behind and threat on goal from range made her a constant headache for Tome’s side.

Brazil: Lorena 7, Thais 6, Tarciane 8, Lauren Leal 7, Ludmila 9*, Alonso Angelina (c) 7, Yaya 7, Yasmin 7, Priscila 8, Gabi Portilho 8, Jheniffer 7. Subs: Kerolin 7, Duda Sampaio 5, Ana Vitoria 6, Gabi Nunes 6, Adriana 7.

Spain: Cata Coll 4, Ona Batlle 5, Irene Paredes (c) 5, Laia Codina 5, Olga Carmona 5, Aitana Bonmatí 7, Teresa Abelleira 6, Jenni Hermoso 6, Eva Navarro 5, Salma Paralluelo 7, Mariona Caldentey 6. Subs: Oihane Hernandez 5, Laia Aleixandri 5, Patri Guijarro 5, Alexia Putellas 6, Athenea del Castillo 6.

6′ – Goal! Brazil 1-0 Spain (Paredes – own goal): The ball is played back to Coll in Spain for goal, she has enough time to comfortably clear but miss-hits her clearance and it deflects back off her own captain Parades and into the back of the net.

45+4 Goal! Brazil 2-0 Spain (Gabi Portilho): Yasmin delivers a wonderful sweeping cross in behind the Spain defence from the left-hand side that finds Portilho around the penalty spot. The Brazil forward just opens up her right foot to guide it home into the bottom corner.

72′ Goal! Brazil 3-0 Spain ( Adriana): The ball lands on the head of Portilho on the left of the six-yard box. She nods it back to Adriana at the back post and she can head home from less than a yard out.

85′ Goal! Brazil 3-1 Spain (Duda Sampaio – own goal): Hermoso heads the corner on to Paralleulo who nods it towards the back post. Duda Sampaio should head clear but she gets it all wrong and the ball and it ends up in the bottom left corner.

90′ Goal! Brazil 4-1 Spain (Kerolin):. Kerolin intercepts the clearance and is on goal. She makes no mistakes as she pops the ball through Coll’s legs for four.

90+11 Goal! Brazil 4-2 Spain (Paralluelo): A corner from the left is played deep and headed on by Putellas this time on the penalty spot. It finds Paralleulo again whose first effort is blocked but she makes no mistake on the follow up to get her second of the game.

Spain faced 17 shots in tonight’s clash against Brazil having faced a total of just 19 across all four previous games in their Olympics campaign.