MARSEILLE: Brazil again defied the odds to reach the Olympic women’s football gold medal decider by defeating world champions Spain 4-2 in Marseille despite again missing suspended superstar Marta.

They will on face the United States on Saturday in Paris in a repeat of the 2004 and 2008 Olympic Games finals – both of which they lost.

Brazil were upset hours before the game when the confederation failed in an attempt to have Marta’s two-game suspension reduced. The 38-year-old Marta had been penalised by world federation FIFA after being sent off for a dangerous high kick in their last group game against Spain.

The Brazilians, without their greatest player ffr their sixth Olympics semi-final, had reached the last four by defeating hosts France 1-0. Team management had been confident the ban would be cut on appeal but the temporary Games tribunal of the Court of Arbitration for Sport rejected the plea.

Spain were let down by a series of defensive mistakes, starting in the sixth minute when an attempted clearance by keeper Cata Coll deflected back into goal off captain Irene Paredes. Brazil extended their lead in the closing moments of the first half through Gabi Portilho.

Stand-in captain Adriana made it 3-0 with a close-range header on a counter attack in the 72nd minute. A flurry of goals in the last minutes and stoppage time saw Brazil’s Duda Sampaio score an own goal, substitute Kerolin reclaim the three-goal advantage and then Salma Paralluelo score a further Spanish consolation.

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