Olympics roundup: Canadian women win soccer gold

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Canada won the gold medal in women’s soccer at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics on Friday, defeating Sweden 3-2 on penalty kicks after playing to a 1-1 tie in regulation.

The winning kick came off the foot of 20-year-old Julia Grosso, whose shot ricocheted off the hand of Sweden goalkeeper Hedvig Lindahl. Sweden went out to a 2-1 lead on penalty kicks but couldn’t convert another.

Stina Blackstenius scored in the 34th minute to give the Swedes a 1-0 lead on her tournament-best fifth goal. Jessie Fleming of Canada tied the score in the 67th minute with a penalty kick.

This was Canada’s first-ever gold medal in women’s soccer and gives the nation six gold and 22 overall medals in Tokyo. Leading the gold-medal race is China with 36, trailed by the United States (31), Japan (24), Great Britain, Russia Olympic Committee and Australia (17 each).

With one day of competition remaining, the U.S. leads the overall medal standings with 98, while China has 79. With the men’s and women’s basketball teams, as well as the baseball and women’s volleyball teams, still to play for the gold medal, the U.S. is assured of finishing with more than 100 medals.

In other Olympics action Friday:

— The U.S. women’s basketball team reached the gold-medal round after cruising to a 79-59 victory over Serbia in the semifinals. The victory sets up a gold medal game Saturday with Japan, a rematch of a contest the Americans won by 17 in group play. Brittney Griner finished with 15 points and 12 rebounds to lead Team USA, and Breanna Stewart had 12 points and 10 boards. The Americans are seeking their seventh straight gold medal.

— The U.S. women’s volleyball team will play for its first-ever gold medal after sweeping Serbia in the semfinals. The Americans will play Brazil, which defeated South Korea in the other semifinal. This will be the third time in the past four Olympics that the U.S. and Brazil have met for the gold medal.

— American Allyson Felix won her record 10th Olympic track medal — more than any woman in track and field history — with a bronze in the women’s 400-meter run. She entered the Tokyo Olympics tied with Jamaican legend Merlene Ottey. Shaunae Miller-Uibo of the Bahamas defended her 2016 gold medal in 48.36 seconds, followed by Marileidy Paulino of the Dominican Republic (49.20) and Felix (49.46).

— The Jamaican women proved their sweep of the women’s 100-meter run wasn’t a fluke as they won the 4×100 relay in the second-fastest time in history — 41.02. Team USA was second (41.45), followed by Great Britain (41.88). On the men’s side, Italy won the gold in 37.50, trailed by Great Britain (37.51) and Canada (37.70).

— Nelly Korda kept rolling in Tokyo and seemingly faces two challengers entering the final round at Kasumigaseki Country Club: the heat and India’s Aditi Ashok. The American was 2-under in the third round and her score of 69 was good for a three-shot advantage at 15-under after 54 holes. Ashok (68) sits at 12-under and alone in second place.

— Californians April Ross and Alix Klineman won the women’s beach volleyball gold medal, defeating Mariafe Artacho del Solar and Taliqua Clancy of Australia 21-15, 21-16. Ross completed her medal collection, adding to the silver and bronze medals she won in the past two Olympics. It was Klineman’s first. Switzerland won the bronze.

— American Gable Steveson won the gold medal in men’s 125-kilogram freestyle wrestling with a two-point takedown of Georgia’s Geno Petriashvili as time expired. Steveson, of Minnesota, had an early 4-0 lead on Petriashvili but was behind 8-5 when he scored on a spin-behind takedown with 10 seconds left. Steveson’s second move made the final score 10-8.

— Jessica Springsteen, daughter of rocker Bruce Springsteen, qualified for the finals of the equestrian jumping team competition. The U.S. equestrian squad, also comprised of Laura Kraut and McClain Ward, will try to better the silver medal that Team USA won in thee 2016 Rio Olympics.

–Field Level Media

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