Published On ۱۲ Sep ۲۰۲۶
The United States will take on France in the final of the women’s basketball World Cup after scraping to a ۷۶-۶۶ semifinal win over Spain in Berlin.
Underdogs Spain, whose best-ever result was reaching the ۲۰۱۴ final against the Americans, levelled the scores at ۵۸-all at the end of the third quarter against the defending champions on Saturday.
But the experience of the ۱۱-time champions told in the final period as USA outscored their opponents by ۱۰ to seal victory.
Led by ۱۶ points from Breanna Stewart and ۱۳ from Kahleah Copper, USA extended their winning streak at the tournament to ۳۵ matches, a run that dates back to a semifinal defeat by Russia in ۲۰۰۶.
Sunday’s clash with France will be a rematch of the ۲۰۲۴ Paris Olympics gold medal match, which the Americans won by just one point.
“That’s over, you know what I mean? We won that game and that game is over, and this is a completely new game tomorrow,” Stewart told reporters when asked about the ۲۰۲۴ final.
“Everybody has their own things that continue to motivate them … but this is one game to win the gold medal in the World Cup in Berlin, and that’s our entire focus.”
It was another disappointing night, though, for Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark, who scored just one point and turned the ball over twice under intense pressure from the Spanish defence.
Spain made a fast start and built an eight-point lead midway through the first quarter.
The Americans found their rhythm and controlled much of the second and third quarters, edging ahead as Copper and Stewart kept the scoreboard ticking over.
But, as they had against Italy, the Americans allowed their intensity to drop, and Spain fought back, finishing the third quarter on a ۹-۲ run to draw level.
Spain had the ۱۲,۶۵۰-strong crowd behind them as a stunning upset seemed on the cards, but the Americans stood tall when it mattered, starting the final quarter with a ۱۲-۲ burst to regain control.
Gabby Williams leads France to first final
France advanced to the final for the first time after an ۸۶-۶۴ victory over host nation Germany earlier in the day.
Gabby Williams top scored with ۲۲ points for the Olympic silver medallists, who preserved their unbeaten record at the tournament going into Sunday’s decider in Berlin.
The US-born Williams, who also dished out five assists and recorded four steals, was the constant threat on both ends of the floor for the French.
Admitting she was “on a mission”, Williams told BeIN Sports: “I just want to give it my all.
“You never know when you’ll get an opportunity like this. You don’t know if it’ll be the last one. So, I’m just going to give everything.”
Marieme Badiane told reporters the French would not be daunted by the prospect of trying to stop the American juggernaut.
“We all realise that we can go for the ultimate prize. That’s the goal now. We aren’t stopping here. No one is going to let up.”
Outsiders Germany swept past European champions Belgium in their quarterfinal clash for a first semifinal appearance as a unified country, with East Germany having made the final four in ۱۹۶۷.
France burst out of the blocks early, but the Germans stayed hot on their heels, trailing by just two at the end of the opening period.
France’s quality told as the match went on and they scored nine unanswered points to begin the second half, surging into a ۱۶-point lead.
Alexis Peterson and Emily Bessoir hit threes in the final quarter as the Germans cut the lead to nine to stay within touch, but France pulled away again with a ۱۲-۰ run to close out the match.
