Marta has been given the chance to see out her worldwide profession with a gold medal after fears that her Brazil profession could have come to an ignominious finish.
The legendary ahead is Brazil’s all-time main goalscorer with 119 strikes to her identify in a world profession that started in 2002. She introduced previous to this summer season’s Olympic video games that the ladies’s soccer event can be her final involvement for the nationwide staff.
That glittering profession appeared like it could have come to a tragic finish in Brazil’s ultimate group stage recreation, when Marta was proven a straight pink card for a ludicrously excessive problem that caught Olga Carmona within the head.
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Marta again from suspension for Brazil’s Olympic ultimate
Marta needed to be consoled by teammates after being dismissed from the sector, and subsequently misplaced an attraction in opposition to the two-man ban she was handed. Brazil additionally misplaced the sport 2-0 to complete third of their group, however proceeded as top-of-the-line third-placed sides.
That meant Marta missed Brazil’s quarter-final and semi-final video games, however they had been in a position to eke previous hosts France due to Portilho’s late objective, then gained vindication over Spain with a complete 4-2 victory. Brazil had led 3-0 going into the ultimate 5 minutes of that recreation earlier than a late flurry of objectives.
Brazil will now face the USA on the Parc des Princes in Saturday afternoon’s gold medal match – and Marta is now eligible for choice once more.
Marta had mentioned earlier than the event started: “If I’m going to the Olympics, I’ll get pleasure from each second as a result of no matter whether or not I’m going or not, that is my final 12 months with the nationwide staff.
“There’s a second when we’ve to grasp that the time has come. I’m very calm about this as a result of I see with nice optimism this improvement that we’re having in relation to younger [players].”
The USA gained all three of their video games in a tricky group that additionally contained Germany, Australia and Zambia, earlier than beating Japan and Germany within the knockout levels. Each had been 1-0 wins secured in further time.
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