.Sam Borden, ESPN Senior WriterAug 10, 2024, 01:06 PM ETCloseSam Borden is an elderly article writer for ESPN.com.PARIS-- The U.S. women's national staff succeeded the Olympic gold award on Sunday, hammering South america, 1-0, in an activity that needed a stout protective fill in the 1st one-half adhered to through an accurate and also computed surge in the second to deny South america as well as its own fabulous leader Marta.It was a familiar ending to an event that had been so much about what is actually new for the USWNT: A brand-new instructor in Emma Hayes, a new frontline of assaulters and also a brand-new overview after the dissatisfaction of final summer months's Women's Planet Mug all meshed together to result in a record-extending 5th Olympic name, and also initially due to the fact that 2012, for the U.S. females, that never tracked at any factor in their six suits in France.Mallory Swanson scored the winning objective in the 57th minute along with a sleek finish after running through on target, however younger midfielder Korbin Albert-- who provided the reception-- as well as Sophia Smith, that wisely fled coming from the play after realizing she was in an offside position, were actually the facilitators. The moment Swanson crinkled her shot past Brazil goalkeeper Lorena, the group at the Parc des Princes-- that included Tom Cruise and Megan Rapinoe-- exploded.It was Swanson's 4th goal of the competition, a lot of among the Americans and also tied for second-most amongst all players in the competitors. Brazil, which had been actually in demand for a lot of video game's beginning, remained to push forward in search of an equalizer yet could not locate its means through. USA goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher, that was her group's very most valuable player in the very first half, carried out certainly not make it possible for a goal in the knockout rounds.The suit was actually played on the very same area where the guys's crews from Spain and France played out an eight-goal classic in their final a time previously, and also females's staffs started at a speed that at least hinted at a prospective repulsive rockets, too.Mallory Swanson's objective supplied a 5th gold award for the USWNT. Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile using Getty ImagesBrazil started without Marta, a choice which was reasonable-- the group had only trumped France and also Spain while she offered a red-card suspension-- but still really felt weird. As well as Hayes dropped Flower Lavelle from her lineup in favor of Albert, a seeming nod to Lavelle's personal injury background and the probability of added opportunity. Needless to say, it was actually a choice that exercised perfectly.As they carried out in their trouble of Spain, the Brazilians visited pressing. Inside pair of mins, Ludmila had a close-range try conserved through Naeher, a very early wake-up call that felt like an arrowhead dodged. Unbothered, Brazil kept coming. Adriana danced deftly on the end line and nearly drew a fine from Crystal Dunn. Ludmila transformed Naomi Girma and also whipped a shot in to the net that was actually dismissed for offside. Gabi Portilho beat Tierna Davidson and simply skipped Ludmila along with a risky cross facing goal.Editor's Picks1 RelatedThe Americans possessed minutes, too. Trio Rodman's wonderful spin at midfield sent her flying in the direction of goal as well as Swanson utilized her speed at the same time to draw a corner however South america regularly felt a lot more unsafe. If not for Naeher-- that delivered a wonderful reaction save of Portilho in first-half deduction opportunity-- the USA would certainly have been well behind at the break.Instead, they equaled and also able to come out along with greater urgency and endurance. Johnson crossed just out of Swanson's grasp as well as Sam Coffey that skided large to acquire the united state crowd back right into it just before Albert discovered her room. An easy look, a heady pass and also Brazil was reeling.Marta, playing in her sixth Olympics as well as what is anticipated to be her last worldwide, started at the hr yet was consistently repressed. 4 minutes right into 10 moments of stop opportunity, Adriana pressed a diving header at goal from close quarters that Naeher-- again == knocked away.Marta put her hands on her head. The United States enthusiasts shouted in glee. One year after extraordinary frustration, the USWNT was actually back.