US players celebrate after winning 1-0 the quarterfinal women’s soccer match between the United States and the Japan at the Parc des Princes at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard)
In possibly the American’s toughest test thus far in the Olympics, the US powered past Germany in extra-time to punch their ticket to play in the gold medal match with a 1-0 victory.
In a match mostly controlled by the US, there was a sense with opportunity after opportunity that the American’s would break through at some point. And in the 95th minute, Sophia Smith provided. On a fast break facilitated by US goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher, Mallory Swanson laid an absolute pearl of a pass to Smith who went through the 5-hole of the German goalkeeper, Ann-Katrin Berger, to score what would ultimately be the winning goal.
Even after scoring that goal, the feeling was the US had put the nail in the coffin, but there was still nearly 20 minutes of extra-time remaining. The US went into time-killing mode, trying to pin every ball in the corner to kill precious seconds off the clock. With only moments left, in the 119th minute, Alyssa Naeher made a save for the US that may not be remembered as gloriously as Smith’s goal but was equally as important. A free kick for Germany nearly turned disastrous after the initial shot bounced right back to the Germans, catching the US defense off-guard. Naeher was in mid-air when the ball came cruising towards the back of the net, but she stuck her leg out with perfect precision and deflected the potential equalizer out of harm’s way.
With this win, the US Women’s Soccer team awaits the winner of Brazil vs. Spain later today. The gold medal match will take place on Saturday.
