Berlin (AFP) – The United States will take on France in the final of the women’s basketball World Cup after a 76-66 win over Spain in the semi-finals in Berlin on Saturday. Underdogs Spain, whose best-ever result was reaching the 2014 final against the Americans, levelled the scores at 58-all at the end of the third quarter. The experience of the 11-time champions told in the final period, however, as the US outscored their opponents by 10 to seal victory. Led by 16 points from Breanna Stewart and 13 from Kahleah Copper, the US extended their winning streak at the tournament to 35 matches, a run that dates back to a semi-final defeat by Russia in 2006.
Sunday’s clash with France will be a rematch of the 2024 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 2024 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.”
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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 9-2 run to draw level. Spain had the 12,650-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 12-2 burst to regain control.
– Dominant France reach first final –
France advanced to the final for the first time after a 86-64 victory over host nation Germany earlier in the day. Gabby Williams top scored with 22 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 quarter-final clash for a first semi-final appearance as a unified country, with East Germany having made the final four in 1967. 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 16-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 12-0 run to close out the match.
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