Olympic Soccer Bracket 2024: Germany Beats Spain to Win Women's Bronze Medal

Germany secured their fifth all-time medal in women's Olympic soccer Friday by defeating Spain 1-0 in the bronze medal match at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.

The lone goal in the match was tallied by German midfielder Giulia Gwinn, who scored on a penalty kick in the 65th minute after Spanish goalkeeper Cata Coll committed a foul on Gwinn.

Miraculously, Spain was handed a lifeline of sorts just three seconds before the seven minutes of stoppage time were set to expire, as Germany's Janina Minge fouled Lucía García, resulting in a penalty kick for Spain.

Alèxia Putellas, who won the Women's Ballon d'Or in 2021 and 2022, took the penalty from, but German goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger confidently turned it away, sealing the win for Germany.

Spain was on the attack for much of the match, but they never netted an equalizer despite out-shooting Germany 14-7 and winning the possession battle 59 percent to 41 percent.

While Spain had never before played for a medal in Olympic women's soccer, they were widely expected to make the podium in Paris given that they are the No. 1-ranked team in the world.

However, a meeting with battle-tested Germany was never going to be easy, as the Germans have played for and won Olympic medals with regularity and were coming off a tightly contested 1-0 loss to the United States in the semifinals.

Germany is one of only four different teams to have won an Olympic gold medal in women's soccer, accomplishing the feat in 2016. Before then, they won three consecutive bronzes in 2000, 2004 and 2008.

With five total medals at the Olympics, Germany are second to only Team USA, who have won six Olympic medals in women's soccer.

That medal count is guaranteed to go up to seven for the Americans with the only question being whether they will win gold or silver.

The gold medal match between the United States and Brazil will conclude women's soccer at the 2024 Summer Games on Saturday at 11 a.m. ET.