US defeat Spain in Berlin to reach Women's World Cup final
The United States women's basketball team defeated Spain 76:66 in the semifinals of the Women's World Cup in Berlin, Germany, and advanced to the tournament final. The reigning champions gained a decisive advantage in the final quarter of the game, Channel NewsAsia reports.
How the semifinal unfolded
The Spanish team started the game actively and took a 9:1 lead thanks to aggressive defense. The Americans responded with an 11:0 run led by Caitlin Clark and moved ahead, 20:16.
Spain continued to fight, while the United States went into halftime with a three-point lead. At the end of the third quarter, Spain tied the score after a 9:2 run in which Megan Gustafson scored four points.
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France await in the final
US captain Breanna Stewart was the team's top scorer with 16 points. In the fourth quarter, she made four consecutive free throws, helping the Americans build a 10-point lead. The United States did not relinquish the lead for the remainder of the game.
In the final, the Americans will face France, which defeated the tournament hosts, Germany, 86:64 in the other semifinal. Gabby Williams scored 22 points for France, along with five rebounds, five assists and four steals. The French secured their first World Cup medal since 1953. The final will repeat the gold-medal game of the women's basketball tournament at the 2024 Olympics, in which the United States defeated France by one point.
