PARIS – The U.S. women’s national soccer team has clinched its fifth Olympic gold medal by defeating Brazil 1-0 in the finals held on Saturday at the Olympics in Paris. Mallory Swanson scored the only goal early in the second half, securing the victory for the Americans. This marks the first time the U.S. has won gold since the London Olympics in 2012, finishing the tournament without losing a match under the new coach Emma Hayes.

Goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher played a pivotal role in the victory, delivering a remarkable one-handed save on Adriana’s header during injury time at Parc des Princes. At the final whistle, the U.S. players celebrated as Bruce Springsteen’s “Born in the U.S.A.” played in the stadium.

The loss represents another defeat for Brazil and its iconic star, Marta, who now holds only a silver medal from the 2004 Olympics in her collection. Marta, a six-time world player of the year, has never won a World Cup or an Olympic medal, and this is expected to be her last major international tournament.

With this victory, the U.S. has now defeated Brazil three times in an Olympic final, with previous wins in Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008. Brazil has never finished better than second in the Olympics. Three years ago in Tokyo, the U.S. had to settle for a bronze medal after being eliminated in the quarterfinals at the Rio de Janeiro 2016 Olympics.

Swanson’s goal in the 57th minute was notable as it marked her 100th appearance for the U.S. Among the spectators were Tom Cruise and former U.S. soccer player Megan Rapinoe. The U.S. first won gold in the women’s soccer tournament at the Olympics in 1996 in Atlanta.

Brazil finished third in its group in France and qualified for the knockout round as one of the two best third-placed teams. Marta, participating in her sixth Olympics, started the match on the bench after missing two games due to a tough tackle from Spain’s Olga Carmona in the team’s last group match.

In other Olympic news, Steph Curry led the U.S. men’s basketball team against Victor Wembanyama and France, while Algerian boxer Imane Khelif won gold in the women’s welterweight final.

Emma Hayes, who took over as coach of the U.S. team in November and finished her season with Chelsea in May, has succeeded in creating a strong chemistry among the young players, who scored 10 out of 12 goals for the U.S. in France.

In addition to Swanson’s goal, the U.S. had several opportunities, but Naeher was crucial in keeping Brazil from scoring. The Americans advanced to the finals after a 1-0 victory over Germany in the quarterfinals, while Brazil qualified with a dramatic 4-2 win over Spain, the reigning world champions.

With Germany taking home the bronze medal, the Olympics in Paris conclude, highlighting the fascinating moments and performances that defined the tournament.