In front of another packed house, this time at the Corinthians Arena in São Paulo, Brazil set about winning the Bronze Medal that their public demanded but found Canada no easier to penetrate than Australia or Sweden before them.

The first chance came after Ashley Lawrence was brought down just outside the area in the ninth minute, Christine Sinclair, making her 250th appearance for the national team, curled a text-book free kick which beat Barbara in the Brazilian goal but bounced off the angle of post and bar.

As Brazil struggled to find a way through, Shelina Zadorsky won the ball from Rafaelle in her own area and swung the ball left for Lawrence to chase. She surged past Fabiana at halfway and carried the ball into the  penalty before squaring for Deanne Rose who slammed the ball past Barbara in the 25th minute to become the youngest goalscorer in the history of the women’s Olympic football tournament at 17 years and 170 days.

It took until the 32nd minute before a strangely subdued Marta had the hosts first shot on target with a tame free kick easily fielded by Stephanie Labbé. It was their only shot on target in the first half and Marta’s frustration continued when she was booked for catching Tadeisha Buchanan. Moments later, Brazil were two behind as 18-year-old Jessie Fleming played a reverse pass through the Brazilian defense for 17-year-old Rose to cross. Captain Sinclair, running from deep, had time to control the ball before slotting past Barbara.

Rafaelle flashed a header wide of Labbé’s post in the 55th minute but Brazil were lucky not to go further behind three minutes later when Sinclair flicked on Labbé’s long kick, Rose outpaced everyone but her left foot shot came back off the post. In the 68th minute, the rampaging Lawrence again broke from her own half, went past three players before her shot from the angle was pawed away by Barbara at full stretch.

Another chance for Brazil came and went in the 76th minute when Marta danced past Sinclair and crossed, second-half substitute Debinha headed into the ground from six yards, the ball bounced wide. Yet, three minutes later, they were back in it when Rafaelle’s long-throw was flicked on by Erika and Beatriz spun past Zadorsky and shot across Labbé into the net. The same player curled a shot just wide of Labbé’s goal in the 86th minute as Canada desperately clung on to their lead.

As the clock ran out, Canada would finish with their second successive third-place finish. For Brazil, they get the memories of a tournament which captured the hearts of their people. A lasting legacy for the game in South America could yet prove to be the greatest medal of all.