BEIJING, Aug 19: Brazil came from a goal down to stun Germany 4-1 on Monday and book a place in the women’s Olympic final where they will meet the United States who beat Japan in a six-goal thriller.

Formiga, Marta and a Cristiane brace did the damage for Brazil, cancelling out a Birgit Prinz strike to avenge their painful defeat to the European powerhouse in last year’s World Cup final.

The United States also bounced back from a goal down to win a pulsating encounter 4-2 with a double from Angela Hucles, a cracker from Lori Chalupny and Heather O’Reilly after Shinobu Ohno had put Japan ahead.

Substitute Eriko Arakawa pulled one back for Japan in injury time.

It set up a enticing replay of the final four years ago in Athens which the United States won 2-1 in extra-time. The US also defeated Brazil in the third-place play-off in Sydney in 2000.

“My girls are excellent, the fans also helped us,” said Brazilian coach Jorge Barcellos. “But what is important is not to win but just to compete.”

Cristiane, the tournament’s top scorer with five goals, said gold was all the team cared about.

“The whole team is aiming at the gold medal,” she said. “It’s more important to win the gold for the team than for me to be the top scorer.”

German coach Silvia Neid said that she hoped they went on to win gold. “Brazil is a very strong team. Last year in Shanghai we won the World Cup. Now I hope Brazil win the gold medal. They have a good chance.”

Prinz got the opener for Germany on 10 minutes, making the breakthrough after a nervy start by both sides, using her brute strength to muscle past a defender and into the box before calmly rounding goalkeeper Barbara.

Rattled, Brazil looked to their three most creative players — Cristiane, Marta and Daniela — for inspiration and they duly delivered.

Cristiane sent a low cross into the box with three minutes left in the half which was met by the advancing Formiga who smashed the ball into the net from 20 yards.

Brazil came out after the break just as determined and were ahead within four minutes after Marta picked up the ball just inside her own half and went rampaging down the middle of the park.

Drawing the defenders, she laid off the ball to Cristiane in acres of space and the 23-year-old made no mistake.

Brazil had another on 53 minutes when Marta rounded two defenders as she cut into the box on the right before burying the ball with the outside of her left boot.

Germany’s back line was at fault again for the fourth goal when Cristiane danced past three defenders before cooly placing the ball beyond the oncoming keeper with 14 minutes left.

The United States, two-time gold medallists, recovered after Yukari Kinga found Ohno unmarked inside the six-yard box and she drilled the ball home from point-blank range in the 16th minute.

But the match swung America’s way with two goals in three minutes nearing half-time.

Amy Rodriguez won the ball on the right and her cross eluded two defenders for unmarked Hucles to tap in from close range to equalise.

A minute before the break Chalupny cut in from the left and unleashed a thumping volley to give the US a 2-1 lead.

The Americans went further ahead in the 70th minute when a speculator drive from O’Reilly flew over goalie Miho Fukumoto and into the net.

Hucles grabbed her second when she beat Fukumoto with a tightly-angled volley at the near post with 10 minutes left.—AFP