Women’s football finally found its place in world football with the final of the first Olympic women’s football tournament - hosts USA beat China 2-1 in front of 76,489 to take gold.
The 1996 Summer Olympics—based in Atlanta, Georgia, United States—marked the first time that women would participate in the association football (soccer) tournament. The tournament features 8 women's national teams from four continental confederations. The 8 teams are drawn into two groups of four and each group plays a round-robin tournament (which was held in Miami, Orlando, Birmingham and Washington, D.C.). At the end of the group stage, the top two teams advanced to the knockout stage (which was held at Sanford Stadium), beginning with the semi-finals and culminating with the gold medal match on August 1, 1996.
The United States and China were in the same group and played each other 6 to a 0-0 draw on 25 July. They both won their matches against group members Sweden and Denmark to finish in the group's top two spots, with China in first place on goal differential.
In the knockout rounds, the United States beat Norway 2-1 (a.e.t.) and China defeated Brazil 3-2 to set up the rematch in the gold medal game.
Midfielder Shannon MacMillan scored first to put the US ahead in the 19th minute, but China equalized in the 32nd minute with a goal from midfielder Sun Wen. In the 68th minute, US forward Tiffeny Milbrett again put the US ahead, then gave way to midfielder Tiffany Roberts three minutes later as the US side protected its lead to the final whistle, claiming the first ever gold medal in Olympic women's football.
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