Julia Grosso the hero as Canada beat Sweden 3-2 in shootout with SIX MISSED PENALTIES to take women’s football gold in the Tokyo Olympics
Canada beat Sweden in a penalty shootout full of drama to take women’s football gold at the Tokyo Olympics.
After Jonna Andersson had missed for Sweden, the sixth missed penalty of the shootout, Julia Grosso stepped up and made no mistake to make it 3-2 and win gold for her country.
An Adriana Leon miss had given Sweden a penalty to win shortly before, but captain Caroline Seger could not take the opportunity as she blazed over.
Canada beat Sweden 3-2 on penalties after a nervy shootout saw a number of missed efforts
Stina Blackstenius had given Sweden a first-half lead after she fired home from inside the box
But Jessie Fleming hit back for Canada to equalise and once again net from the penalty spot
Well before the drama of penalties, Sweden took the lead just after the half hour mark, when Stina Blackstenius’ first-time strike from inside the box beat the Canadian keeper.
Christine Sinclair went down claiming a penalty midway through the second half, and although the referee initially waved away appeals, it was given with the help of VAR and the pitchside monitor.
Jessie Fleming stepped up to take it, as she did to knock the USA out in the previous round, and she scored to level the score up.
It remained 1-1 at the full-time whistle, and another 30 minutes without a goal followed in extra time, sending the goal medal match to penalties.
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