The identity of the U.S. Women’s National Team is still a work in progress, but Tuesday’s 2024 Olympic women’s soccer semifinal proved once again that the U.S. is a formidable team on both ends of the pitch.
Germany dominated the center of the field against the U.S. throughout the game, but the U.S. proved superior in each penalty area, just as they did in their 4-1 group match nine days ago. Striker Sophia Smith scored in the first half of overtime to give the U.S. women’s team a 1-0 victory and advance to the Olympic gold medal game for the first time since 2012.
This one goal was all that was needed in a very different game than the U.S. women’s team’s group-stage win over Germany, but another determined defensive effort. Center back Naomi Girma was sensational again, as she was on the pitch every minute of this Olympics and last year’s World Cup, and goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher made an acrobatic kick save in the final seconds of overtime to deny Germany a tie.
It was a crucial fine line in a game of attrition in midfield, with the U.S. occasionally struggling to cope with Germany’s rotations and changes of form with and without the ball. The difference in the game was the U.S.’s accuracy and consistency in the box at both ends of the field.
Smith’s goal was eerily similar to teammate Trinity Rodman’s overtime winner against Japan in the quarterfinals three days earlier, a brilliant cap to a powerful and ironic performance by the U.S.
Girma played the ball to holding midfielder Sam Coffey, who turned and had a rare moment to collect the ball in the middle. Coffey then found Mallory Swanson and slid a vertical pass over the German’s spine, which never once shifted. Swanson’s pass to Smith had the perfect weight to draw out German goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger and was within Swanson’s reach.
That quality in the final third has been a catalyst for the USWNT’s success throughout this Olympics. Swanson, Smith and Trinity Rodman have contributed to 10 of the U.S.’s 11 goals, a clear sign of how amazing this trio is. It’s a stark contrast to last year’s World Cup, when Swanson was sidelined with injury and Rodman and Smith struggled with broader issues for the U.S.
Girma is a constant on the other side of the field. She blocked every German challenge into the box on Tuesday, headed a late header on her own goal, and calmly latched on to a German cross as if she was receiving a pass from a teammate. Girma’s performance at the Olympics reiterates what anyone paying attention knows: At 24, she is already one of the best center backs in the world. That was evident at last year’s World Cup, despite the U.S. women’s team’s struggles on the field.
Now, Girma’s defensive presence is a complement to an offense roaring on all cylinders. Naeher was rarely called upon in moments of true crisis, but her swooping kick save in the final minute of the game preserved the shutout and secured the win.
Of course, part of the reason the U.S. women’s team dominated inside the 18-yard box was because of who Germany was missing. Striker Lea Schuler and veteran engine Alexandra Popp missed the game with injuries. Even without them, Germany’s creative rotation of players created an advantage in the center of the field. Usually a winger, Jules Brand moved between wide areas and central positions depending on whether Germany had possession, which helped Germany overwhelm the U.S. women’s team’s central midfield.
That’s especially concerning for U.S. women’s national team coach Emma Hayes, as Germany was without central midfielder Lena Oberdorf, who suffered a serious knee injury just before the tournament. The U.S. midfielder struggled in a different way in Saturday’s quarterfinal against Japan’s low block, looking too passive for the ball. That victory also required some late heroics from the front line.
Still, Hayes and her players will be happy to be playing in Saturday’s gold medal game, which is objectively ahead of schedule considering Hayes took charge of the team two months ago. The USWNT has won in a variety of ways throughout these Olympics, from dominating the group stage against Zambia, Germany and Australia to a tough match against a disciplined Japan team. Tuesday’s game was a tough one, with each team battling the rigors of the Olympic schedule and the fatigue of the summer heat.
The U.S. once again showed its weaknesses, including in the midfield, but at least convincingly demonstrated something it hasn’t done since its last trip to France, including a semifinal win Tuesday and a 2019 World Cup final win over Lyon. This team has found the right mix of talent, coaching and patience to tackle the various challenges presented. It’s a longtime recipe for success for the U.S. women’s national soccer team, which is now just one win away from a fifth Olympic gold medal.
