The Australian Opals are looking to get their Rio Olympics campaign off to a fast start, and continue their perfect record against the hosts, Brazil. Join The Roar for live scores and coverage from 6:30am (AEST).
The Opals ended up with a bronze medal four years ago in London. This time they will be aiming to go better, and the final is well within their reach.
The Opals have spent their time warming up for the Games in the United States of America instead of Brazil and had some pleasing results.
They knocked over Canada and London silver medalists France in dominant displays, before going down in a high-scoring encounter to undisputed world champions the USA.
The key to the Australian team is their captain, Penny Taylor, and centre Liz Cambage. Taylor is coming off a strong season for the Phoenix Mercury in the WNBA and will look to continue that form here – something she did during the warm-up games with a double-double against France.
Cambage is 2.03 metres tall, where none of the Brazilian players go above two metres in height – that means they are likely to get dominated inside.
In saying that, Brazil will be relying on their WNBA players Clarissa dos Santos and Erika de Souza pulling off massive numbers in the paint.
They also need the experienced Iziane Castro on the wing to shoot the house down, and to call the shots on defence.
While Brazil won’t have a size advantage in the paint, they should have one on the wings and in the guard position, meaning Australia must shut down the hosts’ opportunities to create points.
Brazil’s form has been sketchy at best, having lost all their warm-up matches to France, before beating Japan 2-0 in a two-games series over the last week.
Australia and Brazil have met six times before, the last of those coming at London 2012, with the Opals winning all six meetings.
Prediction
The Opals have never had a problem knocking over Brazil before, and want to medal at the Games – that means they will be out to make a statement. Brazil will fight hard, given it is their first match on home floor, but won’t be a match for the Aussies.
Opals by 9.
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Scott Pryde
Expert
Match Results The Australian Opals have completed a strong opening day at the Rio Olympics, playing a massive second half to take a come from behind 18-point victory over hosts, Brazil at the Youth Arena. Following up after the Boomers beat France in the men's earlier in the day, Liz Cambage and Penny Taylor led the Boomers through the second half as they used their superior depth and consistency to blow Brazil off the floor. The Opals looked like they were going to start strongly, but buoyed by a vocal home crowd Brazil managed to take a ten point lead into the quarter time break on the back of some fantastic shooting Adriana Pinto and Marques Castro. In fact, all the way through to halftime the Brazillians shot the ball strongly, and while their experience and talented guard pairing led them through it seemed that nearly every shot that went up was falling. It was alsmost as if the Opals played for a couple of minutes, and then fell asleep on the court as they went from having a six point lead after a few minutes to the double digit deficit. They started to turn things around at the back end of the second quarter with Liz Cambage dominating the paint, Taylor banking in shots from everywhere and Leilani Mitchell controlling the flow of the game at the point. They were still down by four at the halftime interval though. After the break, Brazil went completely cold from the floor and their shooting percent fell exponentially and despite the likes of Damiris Dantas and Kelly Santos trying to stand up they were no match for the Australian's, once again led by the trio who had sparked the start of the comeback in the first. Australia also started to focus heavily on three point shots, with Carla George coming off the bench hitting three of five, and Mitchell three of four. With that, they ran away from Brazil in leaps and bounds, dominating the paint and the boards simply not letting them have a sniff of getting back into the game. Final Score Brazil 66 Australian Opals 84
Scott Pryde
Expert
Full match report to follow shortly. Thanks for joining me this morning on The Roar for our live coverage of the 2016 Rio Olympic Games as the Australian Opals followed their male counterparts and opened the campaign with a victory, this time over Brazil. Hope you enjoyed the coverage. Plenty happening around The Roar, with Tennis and Football headlining things right at the moment. I'll be live in about an hour for the Hockeyroos opening match of the Olympics against Great Britain. Bye for now.
Scott Pryde
Expert
STATS LEADERS Brazil Points:Castro (25), Dantas (11) Assists: Moises (7) Rebounds: C Santos (1), Castro (5) Australia Points: Liz Cambage (20), Leilani Mitchell (18), Penny Taylor (17) Assists: Leilani Mitchell (6), Erin Phillips (4) Rebounds: Liz Cambage (14)
Scott Pryde
Expert
STATS 2 pointers: Brazil (45%), Australia (47%) 3 Pointers: Brazil (45%), Australia (53%) Free throws: Brazil (68%), Australia (78%) Rebounds: Brazil (38), Australia (29) Assists: Brazil (18), Australia (21) Turnovers: Brazil (20), Australia (10) Steals: Brazil (5), Australia (10) Blocks: Brazil (1), Australia (4) Fouls: Brazil (20), Australia (21) Fast break points: Brazil (8), Australia (25) Points in the paint: Brazil (24), Australia (36)
Scott Pryde
Expert
I might add that over in the men's the USA are leading China 25-10 with 1:30 to go in the first quarter.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Quarter by quarter scoring breakdown 1st Quarter Brazil 24 - Australia 14 2nd Quarter Brazil 15 - Australia 21 3rd Quarter Brazil 14 - Australia 22 4th Quarter Brazil 13 - Australia 27 OVERALL Brazil 66 Australian Opals 84
Scott Pryde
Expert
Well, a big win for the Opals there. Brazil just went away in the second half and didn't keep up their level of play. Full report and stats to come. Thoughts Roarers?
Scott Pryde
Expert
FULLTIME Australia wind the clock down before kicking out to George and she hits the three. No time for Brazil to do anything and that will do us. Commanding second half from the Opals. Brazil - 66 Australia - 84
Scott Pryde
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Q4 0' The Brazilians almost lose the handle and Pinot fires up with 2 seconds on the clock from deep but misses. Now Castro almost loses it, but will work it around. Now they kick it to Marcale and she misses from deep. Brazil - 66 Australia - 81
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Q4 1' Tolo adds the extra point. Brazil - 66 Australia - 81
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Q4 1' Brazil with a turnover now before the Boomers work it around the perimeter. Into George who throws to a cutting Tolo and she completes the lay up and draws the foul. Brazil - 66 Australia - 80
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Q4 1' Taylor now goes into the key, loses the handle on the ball and throws it back out but it won't stay in, heading over the sideline. Brazil - 66 Australia - 78
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Q4 1' Dantas draws a foul now and makes both. Brazil - 66 Australia - 78
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Q4 2' Jarry now hits a big three from the inbound. Brazil - 64 Australia - 78
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Q4 2' Off the ball offensive foul called against Cambage and she has picked up her fourth foul. Brazil work it down the floor through Colado before they push inside and there is a miss. Cambage to Taylor, a miss and a rebound. Mitchell works off a screen, goes to Tolo and there is a foul. She got the basket but it won't be counted. Brazil - 64 Australia - 75
Scott Pryde
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Q4 3' Castro makes the extra free throw, lead at 11. Brazil - 64 Australia - 75
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Q4 3' Castro on the drive and she banks the shot in, picking up a foul as well. Brazil - 63 Australia - 75
Scott Pryde
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Q4 3' De Souza loses the handle trying to pass to Calado and the ball goes out. Australian inbound and it is Mitchell, Tolo and then Cambage but a touch from Brazil sends it out. From the inbound with 7 on the clock Taylor goes baseline, out to Cambage and then Jarry who throws up an air ball with the shot clock expiring. Brazil - 61 Australia - 75
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Q4 4' Australia are heating up from behind the arc right about now - Taylor with a bomb from the left wing. Brazil - 61 Australia - 75
Scott Pryde
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Q4 4' Mitchell left open behind the arc and she misses before Castro drives into the paint and floats in a lay up - beautiful stuff that. Brazil - 61 Australia - 72