The stage is set
It’s about that “go hard or go home” time in the women’s soccer tournament at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Only four teams remain and will lay it all out on the line on Aug. 6.
World Cup champions Spain barely escaped Colombia, Brazil stunned host France, the United States women’s national team made it past Japan through Trinity Rodman‘s extra-time golazo and Germany ended Canada’s run in penalties.
Spain, Brazil, the USWNT and Japan are now within reach of the gold medal match and standing on the No. 1 spot of the podium.
SEE MORE: Women’s soccer recap, Aug. 3: Brazil stuns France; Spain, Germany, USWNT advance
Semifinal matchups
The tournament did not fail to serve up semifinal matches that will bring absolute entertainment to soccer fans across the globe.
The Marta-less Brazil will take on World Cup champs Spain, while the USWNT will play the No. 2 world-ranked Germany for a second time in the tournament.
All matches will be played on Monday, Aug 5, and the times for each game are below.
All times are in ET
- USA vs. Germany: 12 p.m.
- Brazil vs. Spain: 3 p.m.
Who can play each other in the gold medal match?
The winner of the semifinal match between the U.S. and Germany will play against the winner of the other match between Brazil and Spain in the gold medal match. The two teams that lose will play in the bronze medal match.
USA vs. Germany prediction
Leo Santos’ prediction: The U.S. women’s national team was tested greatly against Japan, but the composure the team showed to pull through amid a lovely Trinity Rodman finesse shot in extra time shows this team can win games in uncomfortable situations. But when the U.S. played Germany in the group stages, it looked extremely comfortable putting passes together to play free-flowing soccer, and I expect more of the same. Once again, Germany played against a top team in Canada and needed a penalty shootout to survive and advance. This U.S. is much better than Canada, and I believe that a little more than a week later, the Germans still won’t have an answer to stop the Americans from reaching the final. USA 2-0 Germany.
SEE MORE: Trinity Rodman takes her moment in new era of USWNT
Brazil vs. Spain
Leo Santos’ prediction: I have to respect Brazil for making it this far in the tournament after only winning one match in the group stages. Its star player Marta was absent from the team’s shocking 1-0 win against an underwhelming France, showing that the South Americans have the discipline it takes to see out matches in the knockout rounds. But Spain also showed its resiliency by never giving up even when the odds were not in its favor during its comeback/penalty shootout win against Colombia. It was a wake-up call for the Spanish, and I believe superstars Aitana Bonmati and Alexia Putellas will put in a much better performance in the semifinals, especially after already having experience defeating Brazil earlier in the tournament. Spain 2-0 Brazil
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