USWNT on the lookout for recent begin in Paris with younger roster, new coach
With the youngest group because the 2008 Olympics and a brand new coach, the U.S. girls’s nationwide group is seeking to return to their successful methods.
MARSEILLE, France — Emma Hayes can’t have too many complaints after this one.
The US girls’s soccer group defeated Germany, 4-1, within the second match of group play on the 2024 Paris Olympics on Sunday. And like within the opener towards Zambia, the scoring got here early and infrequently earlier than the Individuals cruised to a comparatively stress-free victory with three targets by halftime for the second straight contest.
“It was enjoyable. I truly actually loved the sport,” Hayes stated afterward. “My agent texted me and stated ‘I loved it. I wager you didn’t.’ I used to be like ‘No, I actually loved the sport.’ I appreciated the tempo. It was (a) high-level sport, high-level opponent, excessive degree of ways … that was a mature efficiency.”
It was an all-around effort for the U.S. Sophia Smith scored twice, Mallory Swanson punched in her third of the match, and Lynn Williams added a late aim to seal the victory. Goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher stood stout in worrying moments and completed with 4 saves. The U.S. had a slight benefit in photographs on aim (8-6) however dominated possession (61%).
Nevertheless it was Germany that got here out impressed and dominated the primary nine-plus minutes of the match. Within the fourth minute, a nasty cross from Lindsey Horan led to a big German probability and Tierna Davidson – who left with an damage on the finish of the half – needed to clear from the bottom after Naeher made her first cease of the sport.
“We knew there was going to be components of transition, we knew (it) was going to be just a little little bit of a chess match,” the keeper stated.
The Individuals discovered one thing early on the suitable facet by letting Trinity Rodman take management and within the tenth minute her cross went into the field with Swanson and Smith each barreling towards the online. Swanson deked. The ball rolled previous her. Smith hammered it house with no person in entrance of her.
“That first aim felt actually good as a group,” Swanson stated. “That was a group aim, one thing that was instantly from the coaching floor into our play.”
Germany equalized 12 minutes later when Giulia Gwinn beat Naeher to the far submit. Smith threatened once more within the twenty sixth minute and fired a shot. Germany’s keeper initially saved the try however Swanson swooped in to scrub up the mess and put the U.S. again in entrance.
“I feel we’re lastly beginning to join,” Lavelle stated. “However I feel we all know we nonetheless have one other degree in us.”
Smith scored a fortunate aim simply earlier than halftime on a shot exterior the field that ricocheted off a defender and off the suitable submit – lastly crossing the aim line – to make it 3-1 earlier than the half.
Lynn Williams, who got here on for Smith late, added a aim within the 89th minute of a candy feed from Swanson.
The Germans saved the stress on the U.S. within the second half and stayed within the sport, to Hayes’ dissatisfaction.
“We had been devastating once we wanted to (be). We had been well-worthy of our lead at halftime,” Hayes stated. “There’s nonetheless issues that irritate me about us, and I say that genuinely, purely as a result of I feel we might have managed it much more. I feel we allowed Germany to come back again into the sport in components due to our decision-making.”
Germany was with out its younger star defender, Lena Oberdorf, who suffered a torn ACL lower than two weeks in the past throughout Euro 2025 qualifying.
In a match during which eight of the 12 groups make the quarterfinals, advancing was by no means a lot of a doubt for the USA. However six factors ought to do the trick and successful the group would ship them straight to Paris as a substitute of remaining in Marseille ought to they end second.
Subsequent up is Australia on Wednesday.
“There’s issues I discovered in regards to the group tonight – from a personality perspective – that I wished to see – from a resilience standpoint that I wished to see,” Hayes stated. “After which there have been moments I might see there have been lapses, that we’ve got work to do with them gamers.”
Taking part in a high opponent, Hayes stated she will be able to see all sides of a group. “Which was pleasing,” she added.
Heart again Tierna Davidson left simply earlier than halftime following a collision close to midfield. Hayes subbed in Emily Sonnett for the rest of the match.
Afterward, Hayes stated she had little info and hadn’t spoken to her but however that she was coping with a “knock” to her decrease physique.
Davidson is vital to the USA’ protection and may she miss time could be a large loss to the defensive form.
See beneath the gallery for all of the highlights of Sunday’s match:
With the sport in hand, USWNT coach Emma Hayes made two extra substitutions to fortify the protection in stoppage time. Jenna Nighswonger got here on for Trinty Rodman, Casey Krueger subbed in for Emily Fox within the second minute of stoppage time.
MARSEILLE, France – Lynn Williams got here off the bench and rapidly discovered the again of the online. 4 minutes after she entered as a sub for Sophia Smith, Williams took a cross from a charging Mallory Swanson up the center and used her left foot so as to add onto the USA’ lead.
Williams is the second-oldest participant (behind Casey Krueger) on the roster.
Ahead Lynn Williams entered the sport for Sophia Smith within the eighty fifth minute, the primary huge sub of the match. Smith scored two targets within the first half.
MARSEILLE, France – With lower than quarter-hour to play, the U.S. head coach has saved her A-team on the sphere. Towards Zambia, a 3-0 win, she emptied the bench within the sixty fifth minute. However she’s taking no dangers towards Germany
Germany has two big probabilities however can’t rating
MARSEILLE, France – The Germans have put some stress on the U.S. within the first a part of the second half and have missed two golden alternatives to attain.
The primary got here on a Jule Model grounder that hit the close to submit previous a diving Alyssa Naeher. 5 minutes later, Naeher was beat however a superb defensive play by Trinity Rodman – doing it on either side of the pitch tonight – in some way saved Germany off the board.
U.S. coach Emma Hayes was displeased with the second-half effort within the opener towards Zambia and may’t be happy the Individuals are taking part in on their heels to date within the second regardless of the lead.
MARSEILLE, France — This one has been removed from boring.
Up-and-down motion all through the primary 45 minutes ended with the U.S. up 3-1. Two targets from Sophia Smith and one from Mallory Swanson – her third of those Olympics – had been the distinction within the first half, during which the Germans managed the primary 10 minutes previous to Smith netting a cross from Trinity Rodman.
Germany equalized at 1 following Smith’s first aim after Lindsey Horan made her second ill-fated cross of the half. Swanson’s putback on a Smith shot that Germany keeper Ann-Katrin Berger initially saved returned the lead into the Individuals’ fingers.
Smith scored a fortunate aim towards the top of the half that completely ricocheted off a defender and over Berger’s head, clanged off the submit, and rolled over the road for an additional tally.
The U.S. can be with out Tierna Davidson within the second half as a result of damage; she was changed by Emily Sonnett.
The U.S. has 5 photographs on aim in comparison with Germany’s three. They managed possession for 64% of the half.
MARSEILLE, France — The U.S. will play the second half with a serious change to its again line. Tierna Davidson left with an damage following a collision at midfield and Emily Sonnett got here on to switch her simply earlier than Rose Lavelle’s nook led to Smith’s aim.
Referees added seven minutes of stoppage time to shut out the half.
MARSEILLE, France — Typically it’s higher to be fortunate than good.
Sophia Smith scored her second aim of the match by firing one from exterior the field. The ball ricocheted off a sliding German defender and over the keeper’s head, earlier than hitting the suitable crossbar and, in the end, trickling over the aim line to offer the U.S. some respiration room within the forty fourth minute.
MARSEILLE, France — Name it the Summer time of Mal.
Mallory Swanson rapidly helped the U.S. retake the lead within the twenty fifth minute by netting a rebound following a shot from Sophia Smith that Germany keeper Ann-Katrin Berger initially saved. However her collision with the bottom popped the ball unfastened. A sprinting Swanson put it within the again and the U.S. was again on high within the action-heavy begin to this one.
MARSEILLE, France — This time, a nasty cross from the U.S. captain truly led to a aim.
Germany’s Giulia Gwinn beat Alyssa Naeher to the far submit because the Individuals handled an out-of-system defensive stretch, beginning with one other Lindsey Horan cough-up, that led to the equalizer
Professor Hayes – that might be United States girls’s nationwide soccer group coach Emma Hayes – doesn’t grade on a curve, even in her first official match main the group.
She would in all probability give her squad an “A” for the primary 25 minutes of the USA’s 3-0 win Thursday over Zambia to begin Group B play on the 2024 Paris Olympics.
“The primary a part of the primary half was distinctive,” Hayes stated after the match. “To return out the way in which we did – the intention, the depth, the decision-making, the execution, ought to have been at the very least 5 (targets) at halftime.”
Two goal-line clearances, together with one on a volley from captain Lindsey Horan, helped Zambia maintain the U.S. at bay.
However as for the remainder of the match, properly, the Individuals wouldn’t make the glory roll in Hayes’ class.
Germany managed the primary 10 minutes of the match … till they didn’t anymore.
Trinity Rodman discovered her groove round the suitable facet with two runs that led to crosses by means of the field. On the second, a streaking Mallory Swanson – with the ball performed barely behind her – let the cross undergo. In got here Sophia Smith, who discovered the again of the open internet for an early U.S. lead.
MARSEILLE, France — Catastrophe almost struck early for USWNT early.
Within the fourth minute, captain Lindsey Horan didn’t notice the backward cross she was about to try had a German participant ready for it. Ahead Lea Schueller had a golden alternative however goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher bailed out her teammates with an enormous cease.
However the Individuals had been nonetheless in bother with the ball kicking across the field. Tierna Davidson went to the bottom and efficiently cleared for the U.S., ending a heart-pumping second.
What time does USWNT play Germany?
The U.S. and Germany kick off at 3 p.m. ET.
The place to look at USA vs. Germany
USA community is airing the match, and Peacock is dwell streaming it.
USWNT Olympic schedule
- July 25: USWNT 3, Zambia 0
- July 28: USWNT vs. Germany, 3 p.m. ET
- July 31: USWNT vs. Australia, 1 p.m. ET
USWNT Olympic roster
- Ahead: Sophia Smith, Mallory Swanson, Jaedyn Smith, Trinity Rodman and Crystal Dunn.
- Goalkeepers: Casey Murphy and Alyssa Naeher.
- Defenders: Tierna Davidson, Emily Fox, Naomi Girma, Casey Krueger, Jenna Nighswonger, Emily Sonnett.
- Midfielders: Korbin Albert, Sam Coffey, Lindsey Horan, Rose Lavelle, Lynn Williams.
Emma Hayes is coping with an adjusted bench as soon as once more as Jaedyn Shaw, one of many American reserves, seems to be unavailable. Croix Bethune, an alternate, is taking Shaw’s place on the bench, as she did towards Zambia on Thursday in Good. Bethune didn’t play, however Hayes emptied the bench within the 3-0 win.
Shaw is the youngest participant on the 18-person roster at 19 years outdated. Bethune is 23.
- Goalkeeper: Alyssa Naeher
- Defender: Emily Fox
- Defender: Naomi Girma
- Defender: Tierna Davidson
- Midfielder: Lindsey Horan (captain)
- Midfielder: Rose Lavelle
- Midfielder: Sam Coffey
- Ahead: Sophia Smith
- Ahead: Trinity Rodman
- Ahead: Crystal Dunn
- Ahead: Mallory Swanson
Out there substitutes: Korbin Albert, Casey Krueger, Lynn Williams, Jenna Nighswonger, Emily Sonnett, Casey Murphy, Croix Bethune.
MARSEILLE, France — Germany’s medal probabilities took a success weeks earlier than the Olympic match when Lena Oberdorf suffered a torn ACL throughout a Euro 2025 qualifying match.
The 22-year-old defender made her worldwide debut in 2019 and was a member of Germany’s Euro 2022 squad. Throughout that match, she was acknowledged because the “Greatest Younger Participant” and was named to the all-tournament group.
However within the seventieth minute of a 4-0 victory over Austria on July 16, Oberdorf collided with an opposing participant and the ensuing damage value her the Olympics.
The U.S. is in Group B, together with Germany, Zambia and Australia.
The united stateshas received 4 Olympic gold medals: 1996, 2004, 2008 and 2012.
The USWNT performs once more Wednesday, July 31, at 1 p.m. ET towards Australia.
MARSEILLE, France — This would be the second time the U.S. will play Germany on the Olympics and the primary time it’s occurring in group play.
That first Olympic matchup got here within the semifinals of the 2004 Athens Video games. The Individuals received, 2-1, in additional time, and went on to defeat Brazil within the gold-medal match. Heather O’Reilly, then 19 years outdated, scored the game-winning aim within the 99th minute to push the U.S. previous Germany.
It’s the thirty sixth general worldwide assembly between the groups.
The USWNT is 28-7-4 all-time on the Olympics, together with 4 gold medals, received in 1996, 2004, 2008 and 2012.
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