Rio de Janeiro, Aug 20 (IANS): The German women's soccer team has defeated Sweden 2-1 to win the gold medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

Both teams on Friday squandered scoring opportunities in the first half, but German striker Dzsenifer Marozsan broke the deadlock just three minutes after the restart, beating Sweden goalkeeper Hedvig Lindahl with a shot that curled just inside the left post, Efe news reported.

Germany went up 2-0 in the 62nd minute after Swedish defender Linda Sembrant's attempted clearance after a free kick ended with the ball in the back of Lindahl's net.

The Swedes cut the deficit in half five minutes later with a goal by substitute Stina Blackstenius.

At that point, most of the 62,000-plus spectators in the Maracana stands got behind the Swedes in hopes of seeing them equalise and force the match into extra time, as the Scandinavian side did previously against the defending champion United States and Brazil.

The match that brought Germany its first gold medal in women's football was played at Rio's legendary Maracana stadium, where the German men won their fourth FIFA World Cup in July 2014.

While the German women took the bronze medal at the 2000, 2004 and 2008 Games, Sweden, who had to defeat the three-time and a potent Brazilian side to reach the final, entered the competition having never won a medal.