Berlin : The United States defeated Spain 76-66 in the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup semi-final in Berlin, booking a place in a record fifth consecutive World Cup final.
The Spanish team started brightly, scoring 9 of the first 10 points and racing out to a 9-1 lead, but the defending champions found their way and gradually took control of the game.
In the middle of the game, Spain once again enjoyed a burst of scoring, and the United States struggled to find their rhythm from outside. Neither side could build much of a lead, and the teams were locked in an intense duel going into the final period.
When the two sides were tied at 58-58, the Americans found a way to move ahead and started to build their lead. Spain only scored 8 points in the last period, as the United States continued to exert their pressure.
Stewart netted 16 points and pulled down 6 rebounds, while Copper scored 13 points and Young added 12 as the Americans added another chapter in their remarkable World Cup winning streak of 35 games (dating back to 2006). The United States reached the fifth consecutive World Cup final and will face off against France in Sunday’s championship game in what will be a rematch of the 2024 Olympic gold medal game (which the Americans won 67-66).
Conde and Iyana Martín each scored 17 points to lead Spain, with the latter maintaining her status as one of the brightest young prospects in women’s basketball.
The win means the Americans stretch their World Cup winning streak to 35 games dating back to 2006. With the win, the US bids to continue its historic run and capture a fifth straight World Cup title.
For Spain, it was a heartbreaking loss, but the runners-up can still return to Madrid with a medal after defeating Germany in the bronze-medal game.
The United States will face France in the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup final on September 13 in Berlin, setting up another meeting between the two nations after their memorable Olympic final in Paris in 2024. The USA edged France 67–66 in that gold-medal game, and the two sides will now meet again with the world title at stake.
