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The stage is set for the Final of the 2024 CONCACAF W Gold Cup, as the right to forever be known as the first-time champions of the tournament will be at stake on Sunday evening when the United States take on Brazil at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego, California.
These two are no strangers to playing each other on big stages in women’s football. They have met 39 times before, with the U.S. holding a 31W-5D-3L lead in the all-time series, including 21 wins and two draws on U.S. soil.
Twice they met in the Gold Medal Match at the Olympics, in 2004 and 2008, with the U.S. winning each time. However, in the 2007 FIFA Women’s World Cup semifinals, Brazil enjoyed a 4-0 victory.
Brazil have blazed their way to this Final, winning all three group stage matches while conceding no goals, followed by a 5-1 quarterfinal win versus Argentina and then a 3-0 triumph over Mexico in the semifinals.
The reigning CONMEBOL Copa America Femenina champions have gotten contributions across the board. Adriana Leal had a goal and an assist against Mexico, Bia Zaneratto has two goals and two assists in the tournament, Yasmim also delivered goals against Argentina and Mexico, while GK Luciana has kept a clean sheet in three matches.
The path to the Final has not been as straightforward for the U.S. After starting the tournament with wins against the Dominican Republic and Argentina, the U.S. fell 2-0 to Mexico in their group stage finale.
The reigning CONCACAF W Championship winners rebounded with a commanding 3-0 win versus Colombia in the quarterfinals, but then had to survive a wild semifinal against Canada in which they won 3-1 in a penalty shootout following a 2-2 draw in extra time.
GK Alyssa Naeher was the hero in the semifinals by making three saves in the shootout, plus converting a penalty kick of her own, while in attack On The Rise player Jaedyn Shaw has been magnificent with four goals in the tournament.
Aiding the cause have been Alex Morgan and Sophia Smith. Morgan scored a pair of goals in the group stage and had an assist in the quarterfinals, while Smith scored in extra time versus Canada and chipped in with an assist in the group stage.
The decorated history of these two teams and the quality of their squads provides all of the necessary ingredients for what should be a remarkable first ever CONCACAF W Gold Cup Final.
