Football powerhouse Germany battle against surprise packets Sweden in a clash for Olympic gold at Rio’s famed Maracana Stadium. Join The Roar for live scores and commentary from 06:15 AEST.
After respective group stages losses, the likelihood of Sweden and Germany making the final would have been long odds.
Even longer was the prospect of both teams besting their group stage vanquishers in the semi-finals, after Germany defeated Canada 2-0, while Sweden avenged their group stage thrashing from Brazil by dumping the hosts unceremoniously via a penalty shootout.
Sweden enter the final having only scored three goals from the preceding five games. Such is the paucity of the Swedish threat upfront, that coach Pia Sundhage may retain the semi-final team that contained a five-woman midfield protecting a back three.
With such a prospect, Sweden are likely to sit deep and invite Germany to press forward, and expose them to the counterattacking ability of forwards Stina Blackstenius and captain Lotte Stein.
Having only won once throughout the competition in 90 minutes, and that being courtesy of a late Nilla Fischer winner against South Africa in the group stage, Sweden have drawn parallels with the victorious men’s Portuguese team from the Euros. Such obduracy may serve them well in a game they are expected to be dominated by.
As decorated a name that Germany is, Olympic gold is the one title that still eludes both the men and women.
While the men will have their turn at the Maracana on Sunday, the ladies will be expected to deliver against a team that on form should be no match for them.
Yet since conceding five in the group stages, the German defence has since tightened to ensure clean sheet wins in their following two knockout games. Coach Silvia Neid, in her final game as boss of Die Nationalelf, will likely retain the 4-3-3 formation that defeated Canada, with Melanie Behringer the key player.
Having scored the opening goal in their last three games, Behringer’s influence in midfield will be critical in breaking down the likely packed central space occupied by the Swedes. Germany will still keep three upfront, with Dzsenifer Marozsan available to drop deeper if required as a target player.
The German back four should only be guarding themselves against crosses from Swedish wingers Lisa Dahlkvist and Caroline Seger, plus possible counterattacks.
On evidence and balance, Germany should win at a canter, yet the Swedes may fancy themselves to keep their fancies opponents for yet another contest in extra time.
Vas Venkatramani
Roar Guru
FULLTIME: Sweden 1-2 Germany Many thanks for your company - I'll return tomorrow morning to bring you the men's final - can Germany make it a double gold? They only have to best Brazil, plus a partisan home crowd, to do so. Join me at 6.15am tomorrow. But at the Maracana, the woman's gold medal match finished Sweden 1-2 Germany , and the winners are as follows: GOLD - GERMANY SILVER - SWEDEN BRONZE - CANADA Good morning!
Vas Venkatramani
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FULLTIME: Sweden 1-2 Germany Germany succeed where none of their esteemed predecessors could! They have won Olympic gold, and the cabinet is complete! Silver for Sweden who were admirable throughout, but eventually would pay for poor finishing. Bronze was sealed earlier by Canada, who beat Brazil, and that is the women's football section of these Rio Olympics wrapped up! FULLTIME: Sweden 1-2 Germany
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'90+2: Critical work by Leupolz to hold possession down the Swedish end - and fulltime is blown! Germany are the Olympic champions, and win the gold medal! FULLTIME: Sweden 1-2 Germany
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'90+1: Corner for Sweden delivered, and after a flurry of attempted scuffed shots, Germany finally thump it downfield. Anyone will do for Germany. But the game is being played by Sweden inside the German box, but now Germany can play it on the counter. Thirty seconds to go. Sweden 1-2 Germany
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'90: We have two minutes added on at the Maracana - is there late drama to be had? Can Sweden find an equaliser? Sweden 1-2 Germany
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'89: Corner to be taken for Sweden - punched away by Schult, but the regather by Schough is too strong and evades all the bevy of shirts inside the box. Germany get a throw, and they should now play time. Sweden 1-2 Germany
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'89: Germany play it around the Swedish box, but then a header is caught by Lindahl, and she quickly restarts play. Seconds remaining in this! Sweden 1-2 Germany
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'87: Airswings from Sweden! Lovely through ball finds Schelin down the left, and she gets a cross away that Schough hits complete air with! Germany survive, but that should have seen Sweden equalise! Sweden 1-2 Germany
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'84: On target by Marozsan, but it's tipped away by Lindahl, as Germany get a corner, which is cleared. They remain in possession though. Now nearly a disastrous giveaway, as Schough intercepts a backpass, but she cannot distribute to a yellow shirt in time before Germany can reconvene. It's a poor give away, and Marozsan apologises to her teammates - that would have been an awful way to concede the equaliser. Sweden 1-2 Germany
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'83: Another free kick for Germany, and it's the own goal scorer, Sembrant, who enters the book for bodychecking Alexandra Popp. Second change for Germany, as Dabritz is replaced by Svenia Huth. SUBSTITUTION (GERMANY) OFF: 13. Dabritz ON: 19. Huth Sweden 1-2 Germany
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'81: We're into the final 10 minutes now, and the Rio crowd's earlier volume now descends into an almost eerie quietness, as if in anticipation of another twist. Sweden 1-2 Germany
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'79: Awkward from Maier for the keeper Lindahl. Down the right, outside the box, Maier hits with her wrong foot, aimed for the corner, and while it does roll out onto the side netting, it was one of those that Lindahl may have conceded a corner for to prevent any damage. It's a goalkick however, and Germany regaining some calm after a frenetic 10 minutes that followed Sweden's opener. Sweden 1-2 Germany
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'76: Lovely feet from Maier inside the Swedish box nutmegs two yellow shirts, but her shot on goal was straight at Lindahl, who gathers this time cleanly. Sweden 1-2 Germany
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'74: Both teams showing enough defensive frailty to allow the other to foray forward - both midfields now sitting far deeper, allowing the forward runs to occur. It makes for a great contest for the neutral, meanwhile both Sundhage and Neid will be tearing the hair out. Sweden 1-2 Germany
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'72: The crowd suddenly awoken up to what is a fantastic contest - Germany still have the lead, but it looks far more tenuous having conceded once. Suddenly, the calm in Germany's play has escaped them. Sweden 1-2 Germany
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'69: At the other end, Sweden nearly get punished again, as some poor handling by Lindahl is mopped away by her defenders. In the midst, Sweden make their second change, as Asllani is relaced by Pauline Hammerlund. SUBSTITUTION (SWEDEN) OFF: 9. Asllani ON: 19. Hammerlund Now Popp has a small shot that evades the mouth of goal! Inches from a third, but Germany know they're in a game! Here is Germany's first change, as Lena Goessling replaces Behringer, while Sweden make their final normal time change, as Seger is replaced by Ericsson. SUBSTITUTION (GERMANY) OFF: 7. Behringer ON: 8. Goessling SUBSTITUTION (SWEDEN) OFF: 17. Seger ON: 6. Ericsson Sweden 1-2 Germany
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'68: WHAT HAVE WE HERE? IT'S THE SUB BLACKSTENIUS WHO FINDS THE NET, AFTER IMPRESSIVE WORK BY SCHOUGH. Blackstenius holds off two red shirts to meet the cross from Schough on the right, and pokes it past the advancing Schult, and game on in Rio! Sweden 1-2 Germany
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'67: GOAL - SWEDEN (BLACKSTENIUS) Sweden 1-2 Germany
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'66: Oh this deserved a better finish! Dabritz with a lovely floating ball finds the forward run by Popp, but her finish is poor and balloons well over! Sweden 0-2 Germany
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'65: The only consolation of losing in an Olympic final as opposed to another final is knowing that a medal is on your way. Unless things change dramatically in the next 25 minutes, Sweden will be draped in silver. Sweden 0-2 Germany