Sophia Smith powers USWNT to gold medal match
Aug 3, 2024; Paris, France; Japan goalkeeper Ayaka Yamashita (1) and United States forward Sophia Smith (11) during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at Parc des Princes. Mandatory Credit: Yukihito Taguchi-USA TODAY Sports Sophia Smith scored in the 95th minute as the U.S. women’s national team advanced to the gold medal match of the Paris Olympics with a 1-0 victory over Germany on Tuesday in Lyon, France.
The Americans will play either Brazil or Spain on Saturday in Paris with a chance for their fifth goal medal but first since 2012 in London.
Smith took a through ball from Mallory Swanson in stride on the right side of the box. Smith shielded the ball from defender Feli Rauch before slotting a shot past goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger, who was late in blocking the attempt.
Swanson and Smith have three goals and two assists each in the five tournament matches.
Alyssa Naeher made a jumping save with her left foot in the 119th minute on a close-range header by Laura Freigang to preserve the win.
Naeher made seven saves for the U.S, which has outscored its opponents 11-2 at the Olympics. Berger had nine saves.
This was the second scoreless semifinal through regulation in the history of the women’s tournament, matching Sweden vs. Brazil in 2016.
The U.S. also needed an extra-time goal (105+2 minute) by Trinity Rodman to down Japan 1-0 in the quarterfinals on Saturday. The USWNT has played consecutive extra-time matches for the second time, previously doing so in the semifinal and gold medal matches of the 2004 Olympics (wins vs. Germany and Brazil).
The U.S. was favored, having defeated Germany 4-1 in group play on July 28. It was 3-1 at the half in that one but the USWNT couldn’t find the breakthrough score in the rematch through 45 minutes despite having taken five of the six shots on target, although none could be considered high quality.
The USWNT has won a medal in every tournament since its inception at the Atlanta Olympics in 1996. In addition to the four golds, the U.S. earned a silver medal in 2000 and a bronze in 2020. The Americans lost to Sweden in the quarterfinals in 2016 on penalties.
Saturday could be redemption for the program after its failure at the 2023 Women’s World Cup when the U.S. failed to reach the semifinals for the first time in nine tries.
–Field Level Media
