21 August 2008 - Carli Lloyd's Gold-Medal Goal

On 21 August 2008, the United States women won their third Olympic gold medal, beating Brazil in extra time. 

It was the fourth straight appearance in the gold medal match for the US, who had won it twice before, including a 2-1 extra time win over Brazil in 2004. The two teams had developed a healthy rivalry, intensified by Brazil's 4-0 drubbing of the US in the 2007 World Cup that cost manager Greg Ryan his job. The 2008 Olympics were the first major tournament for his successor, Pia Sundhage. 

Played before a crowd of 51,612 at the Workers Stadium in Beijing, the final was a fluid, attacking affair that nonetheless failed to produce a goal in the first 90 minutes. The best chance of the day fell to Brazilian star Marta in the 72nd minute when she slipped through the US defense and fired from point-blank range. But goalkeeper Hope Solo managed to get a hand on the ball and stopped the shot. 

Then, in the 96th minute, a charging Carli Lloyd (pictured) passed the ball to Amy Rodriguez, who quickly returned the ball. Lloyd drove a shot in from just outside the box, crossing the face of the goal and beating Brazil's keeper, Barbara. 

Brazil pressed hard for an equalizer, with both Marta and Cristiane creating chances, but the US defense held firm to preserve the 1-0 victory. 

12 August 2008 - Setting Records At Record Speed

On 12 August 2008, Brazilian forward Cristiane and US forward Heather O'Reilly both turned in record-setting performances in the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.

It was the last day of the group stages in the women's football competition. Brazil faced Nigeria and went down 0-1 to a 19th-minute penalty strike before Cristiane turned the match around. She scored the equalizer in 34th minute, then added a second in the 35th minute and a third in the third minute of first-half injury time (45'+3) to complete the fastest hat-trick in the history of women's Olympic football. The final score of 3-1 sent Brazil to the top of their qualifying group and into the knockout rounds.

Later that day, the US were playing New Zealand when O'Reilly scored 41 seconds into the match - the fastest goal in the history of women's Olympic football. The US won 4-0 to finish at the top of their qualifying group.

Brazil and the United States met in the Final, where the US side claimed a 1-0 win.

23 August 2008 - Argentina Finds A Way To Beat The Heat

On 23 August 2008, Argentina won their second straight Olympic gold, beating Nigeria 1-0 with a goal from Ángel di María.

The two teams met previously in the 1996 gold medal game, won by Nigeria 3-2 with a 90th-minute strike from Emmanuel Amuneke. Argentina failed to qualify for the tournament in 2000, but went on to win it in 2004 over CONMEBOL rivals Paraguay.

Defending their title in 2008, they got off to a perfect start by winning all three of their group stage matches, then advancing over the Netherlands and Brazil in the knockout rounds to reach the final. Nigeria, meanwhile, also topped their group and made it into the final with wins over Ivory Coast and Belgium.

They played the final at noon at the National Stadium in Beijing, where the temperatures reached 107° F/42° C. The heat was so oppressive that officials twice stopped the match so that the players could rehydrate. The Nigerians tightly marked strikers Lionel Messi and Sergio Agüero, but that allowed enough space for di María to exploit for the go-ahead goal in the 58th minute—he chipped the Nigerian keeper after receiving the ball from Messi.

It was only his second goal of the tournament, but it was the only one of the match as Argentina won 1-0.

21 August 2008 - Carli Lloyd's Gold-Medal Goal

On 21 August 2008, the United States women won their third Olympic gold medal, beating Brazil in extra time.

It was the fourth straight appearance in the gold medal match for the US, who had won it twice before, including a 2-1 extra time win over Brazil in 2004. The two teams had developed a healthy rivalry, intensified by Brazil's 4-0 drubbing of the US in the 2007 World Cup that cost manager Greg Ryan his job. The 2008 Olympics were the first major tournament for his successor, Pia Sundhage.

Played before a crowd of 51,612 at the Workers Stadium in Beijing, the final was a fluid, attacking affair that nonetheless failed to produce a goal in the first 90 minutes. The best chance of the day fell to Brazilian star Marta in the 72nd minute when she slipped through the US defense and fired from point-blank range. But goalkeeper Hope Solo managed to get a hand on the ball and stopped the shot.

Then, in the 96th minute, a charging Carli Lloyd (pictured) passed the ball to Amy Rodriguez, who quickly returned the ball. Lloyd drove a shot in from just outside the box, crossing the face of the goal and beating Brazil's keeper, Barbara.

Brazil pressed hard for an equalizer, with both Marta and Cristiane creating chances, but the US defense held firm to preserve the 1-0 victory.

12 August 2008 - Setting Records At Record Speed

On 12 August 2008, Brazilian forward Cristiane and US forward Heather O'Reilly both turned in record-setting performances in the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.

It was the last day of the group stages in the women's football competition. Brazil faced Nigeria and went down 0-1 to a 19th-minute penalty strike before Cristiane turned the match around. She scored the equalizer in 34th minute, then added a second in the 35th minute and a third in the third minute of first-half injury time (45'+3) to complete the fastest hat-trick in the history of women's Olympic football. The final score of 3-1 sent Brazil to the top of their qualifying group and into the knockout rounds.

Later that day, the US were playing New Zealand when O'Reilly scored 41 seconds into the match - the fastest goal in the history of women's Olympic football. The US won 4-0 to finish at the top of their qualifying group.

Brazil and the United States met in the Final, where the US side claimed a 1-0 win.