(#s are Knockout seeding and World Ranking)
#3/#35 Mexico v #2/#11 Brasil
Brasil strolled into the final. Rafaelle curled the ball into the penalty area from the left and Esthefanny Barreras missed her punch, with the ball cannoning off Nicolette Hernandez to Adriana, who volleyed home. The day went from bad to worse for Hernandez as she was given a straight red card for the denial of a goalscoring opportunity (after being alerted by VAR Drew Fischer), having brought down Bia Zaneratto just outside the box. Brasil made it 2 after yet more close interplay led to a drive inside by Antonia, who curled it home from just outside the area into the bottom corner of the Mexican net.
The match was decisively put beyond Mexico’s reach with an audacious backheel drag by Yasmim from a Portilho cross.
#1/#10 Canada 2–2 #4/#2 USA (After Extra Time, 1–3 on shootout)
At a waterlogged Snapdragon Stadium, Jaedyn Shaw vs Vanessa Gilles, or Gilles vs the elements? Shaw pounced on two Gilles back-passes which stuck in the water. One was chipped wide in the second minute and one was chipped over Sheridan for the lead in the 20th minute. After a slog in the standing water, Adriana Leon connected with a long diagonal up field, switched it to Ashley Lawrence on the right, who whipped a cross onto Jordan Huitema’s head in the 81st minute.
In the 98th minute, Rose Lavelle flicked on a header against two Canadian defenders, leading it onto Sophia Smith, who calmly slotted past Kailen Sheridan to give the US back the lead. With the last kick of stoppage time at the end of extra time, Alyssa Naeher came flying off her line to defend against a long hopeful Canadian punt and clattered into Vanessa Gilles. PK after a VAR review. Adriana Leon stepped up, took several deep breaths and scored past Naeher.
Naeher shook off her disappointment and took the penalty shootout by the scruff of the neck, saving three Canadian penalty kicks and scoring one of her own to single handedly end the match.
