Photo Credit: Lívia Villas Boas via Confederação Brasileira de Futebol
Brazil are the 2025 Copa America Feminina champions after defeating Colombia 5-4 in penalty kicks. The score was tied at 3-3 at the end of regulation, and each team scored in extra time.
It is Brazil’s ninth championship while Colombia are runners-up for the second straight time.
Colombia opened the scoring in the 25th minute through 20-year-old Linda Caicedo. Mayra Ramírez slipped Caicedo into a pocket of space at the top of the six-yard box, where the young attacker cooly finished with a low corner shot.
Brazil equalized in first-half stoppage time when Angelina converted a penalty kick awarded by VAR for an off-the-ball foul.
In the 69th minute, a disastrous play gave Colombia the lead once again. Tarciane intended to pass the ball back to her goalkeeper under some pressure, but ended up passing it into her own net.
Ten minutes later, Amanda Gutierres scored her fifth goal of the tournament to once again draw Brazil level. Gutierres was able to chest down the cross sent in by Gio Garbelini and cleanly shoot into the bottom, far corner.
Colombia might’ve thought they won the game in the 88th minute when Caceido and Ramírez connected again to give them the 3-2 advantage. This time it was Cacedio assisting Ramírez, slipping the Chelsea forward in on goal on the counterattack.
Brazil, however, was not done. In the sixth of seven second-half stoppage time minutes, Marta hit a left-footed rocket from outside the box to tie the game at 3-3. The brilliant finish and late-game heroics represented the kind of brilliance we have come to expect from the Brazilian legend.
In extra time, it was finally Brazil’s chance to take the lead. And once again, it was the legendary Marta, this time tapping it in from close range off the assist from Angelina.
With five minutes remaining in extra time, Colombia tied the game one last time thanks to a beautiful direct free kick from Washington Spirit attacker Leicy Santos that went straight into the top corner.
Tied with four goals each, the 2025 Copa America Feminina Final would be decided with a penalty shootout.
The penalty shootout began with Tarciane and Catalina Usme both converting their spot kicks for Brazil and Colombia, respectively. Angelina’s penalty was saved by Katherine Tapia and Marcela Restrepo converted for Colombia. Gutierres evened the score for Brazil and Manuela Paví skied her attempt over the crossbar.
The next round bolstered Brazil’s lead, with Mariza converting before Santos had her attempt saved by Lorena Silva. Marta had the chance to win it all in the fifth round and continue her heroics, but Tapia came up with another save. Caicedo then, unfazed by the enormity of the moment, calmly tied it again.
Moving into sudden death, both kickers in the sixth round, Jhonson and Wendy Bonilla, scored. Luany scored the first penalty kick of the seventh round, so when Lorena saved Jorelyn Carabalí‘s shot, Brazil came out victorious.
