USWNT advances to knockout stage of Paris Olympics after 4-1 win over Germany

MARSEILLE, France – The U.S. Women’s National Team is through to the 2024 Olympic quarterfinals with one group stage game to spare thanks to Sunday’s electrifying 4-1 win against Germany in Marseille.

The Group B showdown between the two most decorated nations in women’s soccer lived up to the billing and was decided in large part by the Americans’ devastating front three of Trinity Rodman, Sophia Smith and Mallory Swanson, who each contributed either a goal or assist for the second consecutive match.

The USA (2W-0L-0D; 6 points) will enter the first-round finale against Australia knowing it’s already through to the Aug. 3 quarterfinals. The top two teams in each four-team group, along with the two best third-place finishers, move on to the knockout rounds. The USA and defending World Cup champions Spain, which beat Nigeria, 1-0, today are the first two teams to secure their spot in knockout phase.

A win or a draw against the Aussies will clinch first place in the group, but the USA carries a plus-6 goal difference into the match, with Germany at even and Australia at minus-2, meaning the USA could finish top of the group and earn a trip to Paris even with a defeat. Either way, the quarterfinals are assured.

Group stage games don’t come much tougher than the clash at the Stade de Marseille where the fourth-ranked Germans and fifth-ranked Americans met for the sixth time at a Women’s World Cup or Olympics. The winner of the first five went on to claim the title (the most recent was the 2015 Women’s World Cup semifinal won by the USA), but each of those previous meetings occurred in the knockout rounds. On Sunday in the south of France, both sides were looking to build on opening game victories and, perhaps, secure their quarterfinal status.

To that end, U.S. head coach Emma Hayes started the same lineup that began the 3-0 defeat of Zambia on July 25, although Lindsey Horan sat a bit deeper in midfield alongside Sam Coffey. Germany almost scored first in the fourth-minute as a wayward back pass was intercepted by dynamic attacker Jule Brand. She then fed a wide-open Lea Schüller, whose point-blank shot was blocked by an alert Alyssa Naeher, the first of several key saves for the U.S. goalkeeper on the night.

The USA answered that wake-up call as Horan and Coffey reclaimed control of midfield and the potent attacking trident quickly went to work. In the 10th minute, a give-and-go between midfielder Rose Lavelle and Rodman created ample space on the right with Rodman’s pin-point cross on the ground finished by the crashing Smith. The Germans leveled the score 12 minutes later on a long-range blast by defender Giulia Gwinn, who was beaten by Smith on the opening goal. The shot snuck through the legs of U.S. center back Tierna Davidson, who had to leave the game near the end of the first half after suffering a lower leg injury, before tucking inside the left post. It was the first goal yielded by the USA in six matches under Hayes, but it appeared to galvanize, rather than deflate, the group.

It was Swanson’s turn in the 26th. She helped create Smith’s opener with a smart run toward the near post that pulled apart the German defense. Smith then returned the favor as the Americans reclaimed the lead. Smith won the ball off Germany’s Kathrin Hendrich, held her off and then sent a left-footed shot toward goal that Germany and NJ/NY Gotham FC goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger parried away, but couldn’t hold. Swanson raced toward the left post in pursuit of the rebound and was first to the ball, poking it past the scrambling Berger for her third goal of the tournament and fourth of her Olympic career.

The USA doubled its lead near the end of the first half as Smith’s second of the game came off a shot that deflected off a defender’s leg, looped over Berger, hit the right post and bounced across the goal line, but the sequence followed some outstanding short passing off a short corner on the right that helped set the up the Americans.

Germany pushed forward as expected, but the U.S. defense held strong, and the European power failed to threaten much apart from a 62nd-minute chance from Chelsea FC player Sjoeke Nüsken that was snuffed out by Naeher. Smith was substituted in the 85th minute and her replacement, Lynn Williams, tallied the Americans fourth on a play created by, who else, Rodman and Swanson. Rodman won the ball deep in the U.S. half as stoppage time approached and quickly launched a counterattack. She fed Swanson, who calmly found Williams in the left side of the penalty area. Williams easily won the battle between Gotham teammates with a low left-footed striker into the far post to cap a brilliant night for American attackers.

After two matches at this Olympics, Swanson has three goals and one assist. Smith has two goals and one assist and Rodman has one of each, in addition to several important contributions, passes and runs — like that 89th-minute tackle and pass — that generate goals but don’t show up on the scoresheet.

Now the USA will seek to top the group. The group stage will conclude Wednedsay, July 31 back at the Stade de Marseille where the USA will meet 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup host and semifinalist, Australia (1 p.m. ET; USA Network, Universo and Peacock). The 12th-ranked Matildas (1W-1L-0D) defeated Zambia, 6-5, in a wild game in Nice earlier Sunday to stay alive in the tournament.

GOAL SCORING RUNDOWN

USA — Sophia Smith (Trinity Rodman), 10th minute: A give-and-go between Rodman and Rose Lavelle created space on the German left. Rodman’s cross bounced through the penalty area and Mallory Swanson’s near-post run confused the defense, giving Smith the opportunity to cut inside Germany’s Giulia Gwinn and finish from six yards. USA 1, GER 0

GER — Giulia Gwinn (Sjoeke Nüsken), 22nd minute: Beaten on one end, Gwinn then pulled Germany level at the other. Nüsken received a pass from the left and laid the ball back to Gwinn in space. The Bayern Munich defender ripped a low, long-range shot that slipped between Tierna Davidson’s legs and inside the left post. USA 1, GER 1

USA — Mallory Swanson, 26th minute: Sophia Smith won a second ball after a battle with Germany’s Kathrin Hendrich, dribbled left and took a shot that forced a diving save by Ann-Katrin Berger. A charging Swanson was first to the rebound and she knocked it home at the left post. USA 2, GER 1

USA — Sophia Smith, 44th minute: Smith was first to a German clearance of Naomi Girma’s service, and she was able to control the ball and turn after an initial misplay. Smith’s shot from the edge of the penalty area skimmed off a lunging Felicitas Rauch, spun high over goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger and then hit the right post and bounced in. USA 3, GER 1

USA — Lynn Williams (Mallory Swanson), 89th minute: Trinity Rodman stole the ball deep in the U.S. half, raced up the right flank and fed Swanson in the middle. She carried the ball toward the penalty area and, with the Germans pushed forward, was free to find Williams on the left. Williams sent a low shot back across the face of goal and into the right side netting. USA 4, GER 1 FINAL

ADDITIONAL NOTES

• This is the fifth time in eight Olympic appearances that the U.S. has opened the group stage with back-to-back victories. In three of the previous four instances, the Americans went on to win gold, with the only exception being 2016.
• With the win, the USA joined Spain as the first teams to secure a spot in the quarterfinals. The USA has now made it out of the group in all eight trips to the Olympics and has medaled in six of its seven previous Olympic appearances.
• The USWNT improves to 36W-5L-7D all-time against Germany, including a 5W-1L-0D record in World Cup or Olympic matches.
• Germany is the highest-ranked opponent the USA has faced since playing then third-ranked Sweden in the Round of 16 at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
• Sunday’s match marked the first time since the 2015 Women’s World Cup semifinal that the USWNT played against a higher-ranked opponent. In that 2015 meeting in Montreal, the No. 2- ranked Americans beat the top-ranked Germans, 2-0, to advance to the World Cup final behind goals from Carli Lloyd and Kelley O’Hara. The U.S. has now won each of its last two matches when ranked lower than its opponent.
• The USA’s seven goals are the most scored by any team so far at Paris 2024.
• Swanson’s three goals to open Paris 2024 are the most ever by a USWNT player in the team’s first two matches at an Olympics. It also marks the first time a USWNT player has scored in back-to-back Olympic matches since Carli Lloyd scored against New Zealand and France to open the group stage at Rio 2016.
• Swanson now has 37 international goals, breaking a tie with Tobin Heath to take sole possession of 16th on the USWNT’s all-time scoring chart. Her four career goals at the Olympics are tied with Angela Hucles, Shannon MacMillan and Kristine Lilly for seventh in USWNT history.
• Swanson’s three goals are tied with Zambia’s Barbra Banda and France’s Marie-Antoinette Katoto for the most by any player at the 2024 Olympics.
• Sophia Smith became the seventh player in USWNT history to score multiple goals in an Olympic match, joining Tiffeny Milbrett, Angela Hucles, Alex Morgan, Carli Lloyd, Megan Rapinoe and Mallory Swanson.
• Smith now has seven career multi-goal games, two of which have come at world championship events. She also scored a brace against Vietnam at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
• With her two goals against Germany, Smith now leads the USWNT in scoring with seven goals this year and she now has eight goal involvements (6 goals, 2 assists) in her past seven games for the USWNT.
• Crystal Dunn made her 17th consecutive start for the USWNT in a World Cup or Olympic match, a streak that began with the USA’s third group-stage game against Sweden at the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup. Dunn’s streak is the longest by any USWNT field player since Christie Pearce made 27 consecutive starts from the 2004 Olympic quarterfinal through the 2012 Olympic gold medal match.
• Emma Hayes joins Anson Dorrance as the only head coaches in USWNT history to win their first two matches at a major tournament. Dorrance won all six games with the USWNT at the 1991 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
• Germany’s goal in the 22nd minute was the first allowed by the USWNT under Hayes and the first scored against the Americans in 110 days. They last conceded on April 9 against Canada in the SheBelieves Cup final. It ended a streak of 475 consecutive shutout minutes for the USA.

– U.S. WOMENS NATIONAL TEAM MATCH REPORT –

Match: United States Women’s National Team vs. Germany
Date: July 28, 2024
Competition: Paris 2024 Olympics; Group B
Venue: Stade de Marseille; Marseille, France
Attendance: 9,379
Kickoff: 9 p.m. local / 3 p.m. ET
Weather: 86 degrees, light breeze

Scoring Summary:  1     2     F
USA                           3     1     4
GER                          1     0    1

USA – Sophia Smith (Trinity Rodman) 10th minute

GER – Giulia Gwinn (Sjoeke Nusken) 22
USA – Mallory Swanson 26
USA – Sophia Smith 44

USA – Lynn Williams (Mallory Swanson) 89

Lineups:

USA: 1-Alyssa Naeher; 2-Emily Fox (6-Casey Krueger, 90+2), 4-Naomi Girma, 12-Tierna Davidson (14-Emily Sonnett, 44) 7-Crystal Dunn; 10-Lindsey Horan (Capt.), 17-Sam Coffey 16-Rose Lavelle; 5-Trinity Rodman (13-Jenna Nighswonger, 90+2), 9-Mallory Swanson, 11-Sophia Smith (8-Lynn Williams, 85)

Substitutes not used: 3-Korbin Albert, 18-Casey Murphy, 20-Croix Bethune

Head coach: Emma Hayes

GER: 12-Ann-Katrin Berger; 19-Felicitas Rauch, 5-Marina Hegering, 3-Kathrin Hendrich, 15-Giulia Gwinn; 17-Klara Buhl, 11-Alexandra Popp (14-Elisa Senss, 77), 6-Janina Minge, 16-Jule Brand; 7-Lea Schuller, 9-Sjoeke Nusken (8-Sydney Lohmann, 68)

Substitutes not used: 1-Merle Frohms, 4-Bibiane Schulze Solano, 10-Laura Freigang, 13-Sara Doorsoun, 18-Vivien Endemann
Head coach: Horst Hrubesch

Stats Summary: USA / GER
Shots: 10 / 12
Shots on Goal: 7 / 6
Saves: 5 / 3
Corner Kicks: 4 / 1
Fouls: 5 / 10
Offside: 2 / 1

Misconduct Summary:
GER – Kathrin Hendrich (Caution) 18th minute
USA – Sam Coffey (Caution) 22

Officials: 
Referee: Yael Falcon (ARG)
Assistant Referee 1: Maximiliano del Yesso (ARG)
Assistant Referee 2: Facundo Rodriguez (ARG)
4th Official: Anahi Fernandez (URU)
VAR: Tatian Guzman (NCA)
AVAR 1: Katalin Kulcsar (HUN)

Woman of the Match: Sophia Smith