Football at the Olympics: Spectacular Rapinoe leads USA to bronze

The star players Megan Rapinoe and Carli Lloyd shot the American football selection bronze at the Olympic Games.

Thanks to two goals each by the experienced duo, the USA won the game for third place against Australia 4: 3 (3: 1) on Thursday.

In Kashima, the favorite benefited from some defensive failures by the Australians and, after the failed gold mission, said goodbye to Japan.

Rapinoe gave the USA a double lead with a corner kick (8th minute) and a volley into the corner after a ricochet from Australia (21st).

Lloyd increased before the break (45th + 1) and later scored after a counterattack (51st).

The Australians defended themselves against the defeat and brought the Americans, who had long appeared sovereign, with the goals of Sam Kerr (17th), Caitlin Foord (54th) and Emily Gielnik (90th) in distress.

In the end, however, the record Olympic champion from the USA cheered, who was actually gold favorite in Tokyo after four gold successes (1996, 2004, 2008, 2012) and most recently two World Cup titles in a row.

In the semifinals, coach Vlatko Andonovski's team lost to the Canadians, who are in the final against Sweden on Friday.

The German Rio Olympic champions did not qualify.