The United States will take on France in the final of the women’s basketball World Cup after a 76-66 win over Spain in the semi-finals in Berlin on Saturday.
It was another disappointing night though for Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark, who scored just one point and turned the ball over twice under intense pressure from the Spanish defence. The experience of the 11-time champions told in the final period however, as the US outscored their opponents by 10 to seal victory. Led by 16 points from Breanna Stewart and 13 from Kahleah Copper, the US extended their winning streak at the tournament to 35 matches, a run that dates back to a semi-final defeat by Russia in 2006. Sunday’s clash with France will be a rematch of the 2024 Paris Olympics gold medal match, which the Americans won by just one point. But, as they had against Italy, the Americans allowed their intensity to drop and Spain fought back, finishing the third quarter on a 9-2 run to draw level. Gabby Williams top scored with 22 points for the Olympic silver medallists, who preserved their unbeaten record at the tournament going into Sunday’s decider in Berlin. France’s quality told as the match went on and they scored nine unanswered points to begin the second half, running out to a 16-point lead.
