Tom Dart’s full match report is now live:
Championship-winning efforts are rarely straightforward. They involve moments in which everything seems to have gone wrong, moments of inspiration from unlikely places, and yes, a bit of luck. We in the Class of People Who Use A Lot of Words like to make grand pronouncements based on the small data points of the few meaningful moments that make a difference between winning a championship and departing in the quarterfinals.
But even if the USA looked far from dominant in this win, they more than earned their spot in the final. Germany rarely looked too dangerous aside from the last play – which, I’ll say again, likely would not have produced a goal that survived a VAR check.
Berger is a fine goalkeeper, perhaps the best in the world. (Sorry, English fans.) But if the ball is placed into danger too many times, even the best goalkeeper gives one up. She stopped several US chances that were better than the one on which she conceded. That’s how it goes sometimes.
It’ll be interesting to see if they end up facing Brazil. Before the 2008 Olympic final, I sat in the press tribune because people sent me places back then, and I informed my colleagues that the USA had no chance of winning against Marta and company. Oops. Might we see long-simmering revenge?
We’ve got a few days to think about it. This US team will be returning with a medal that has proved to be elusive recently.
See you later in the week when they determine the color.
“We had a hard year last year,” Smith says. “We knew we were better than that. We knew we could be so good.”
Just got another replay – Naeher could’ve raced into the stands to have a snack and let Germany score there. The player who shot was quite clearly offside.
NBC is interviewing Sophia Smith, who says she can’t remember anything from the last 120 minutes.
Peter Oh: “Germany just can’t get the ball past the Naeher-side of the US goal!”
Beats being on the dark side of the moon.
Full time: USA 1-0 Germany, USA advance to the final
Unfortunate for Germany that they came in as short-handed as they did, and it wasn’t a vintage US performance.
But under Hayes, this team is maintaining the traditional US mental edge and adding some better tactics. And Hayes is uniquely placed to manage any ego problems or disagreements within the squad.
Player of the game is either Naomi Girma or Mallory Swanson.
120 min +1: Albert battles for the ball deep in the German half, legitimately running time off the clock.
Throw-in … and it’s over.
120 min +1: One minute of stoppage time. Waste, waste, waste that time. This should be a yellow, frankly.
120 min: Smith wins the ball at midfield and splits two players. One on one with Berger! But once again, the Gotham FC keeper is equal to the task.
NBC hails the Naeher save. It wouldn’t have counted.
119 min: Pass? Shoot? Or blast into the wall.
Germany pop the ball over everyone, and Naeher makes a save against any of the 40 German players who were offside.
118 min: The USA give too much space at midfield now, and Germany can dribble within 40 yards of the goal. They don’t want to have the ball pinging around in the box where it can find a German foot or a US hand.
Sophia Smith gets a yellow for an unfortunate foul just outside the US penalty area. This could be trouble.
117 min: Girma plays the ball wide for a throw-in. Rodman is back playing almost a right wing-back role.
Handball on Brand, and Naeher will kick this as if auditioning for the Patriots.
115 min: The ball hits the referee, who awards a dropped ball, giving me a chance to do a quick rant about something that bothers me – please stop referring to an “uncontested dropped ball.” Since the Laws changed a few years ago, all dropped balls are uncontested. Try to keep up.
Germany finding no way past the middle line of the US system, much less the backline.
114 min: OK, US fans, exhale. The corner kick is knocked down and clangs off the tumbling Brand high into the air, but Naeher is able to collect.
Updated
113 min: Nighswonger concedes a corner. This game might be a bridge too far for the promising but callow US defender.
112 min: Now that we’ve said that, Germany will surely score.
I might actually expect a goal somewhere here because Germany are pressing forward with such intent that they are leaving acres of space at the back, and if a long clearance finds Rodman, it’s 2-0.
111 min: Germany now seem to be pondering where to attack with the veteran Krueger placed into the game to shut down the danger.
Peter Oh: “Without Popp, Germany’s attack doesn’t truly rock.”
They have not been particularly effective, no.
109 min: I’m not going to say the Germans have identified Nighswonger as the weak (or at least inexperienced) link in the US backline, but they’re certainly playing the ball down that flank a lot.
The USA win the ball and play long to Williams, but the US forward can’t hold onto the ball. Smith gets it and goes to the corner as if to show her much older teammate how it’s done.
Another US sub: Casey Krueger comes in to replace Mallory Swanson, who played brilliantly. Krueger, though, is clearly going in to help Nighswonger.
107 min: Nüsken plays wide to Gwinn, who easily beats Nighswonger but whose cross is too close to Naeher.
Yellow to Brand for grabbing Smith to stop a US counter.
Updated
106 min: Collision, foul, same thing. Swanson takes a minute to get up, perhaps disappointed that her breakaway chance was snuffed out.
But she’s back up to press the German defense. She should consider entering the marathon after this.
Kári Tulinius: “Berger hesitated just as she got to where Rausch and Smith were struggling for the ball, and that gave the attacker a gap to aim for. The German have defended near perfectly all game, but that was a costly mistake from the goalkeeper.”
Fair point.
Before that, from the same correspondent: “I know that Hayes can’t sharpen Smith and Rodman’s play in the final third in just a couple of months, but I’d expect her to at least encourage others to try their luck, even if just to make the opposition uncertain. As it is, the American attack is very predictable, making things easy for the German defense.”
Also a fair point. Williams has been startlingly invisible so far.
Michael Staples: “Women’s football is evolving and proof will be in leaving the Americans Germans behind, the Americans had the best system when nobody else had a system.”
To rephrase – women’s football has grown to the point at which several teams are on the USA’s level in a given year, and like Brazil’s men, the US women won’t win the big prize every year.
I’d point out, though, that Germany absolutely had a system 21 years ago when they destroyed the USA in the World Cup with superior tactics.
Brian Fuller:
I agree with you and your colleagues on the referee message board that persistent infringement has literally disappeared from the game. Several years ago, when it had become a significant focal point of FIFA, it was a pleasure to see a player receive a card for multiple simple fouls like late attacks on opposing players’ Achilles tendons, or repeated jersey pulls or other tugs.
In both the recent EUROS and COPA, I am fairly certain I did not see a single card issued for it. The COPA, in particular, was SO poorly officiated in general, with a significant number of games played with either too many fouls without equivalent cards issued, or too few fouls called altogether. A huge amount of that would have been easily remedied by enforcing persistent infringement.
While I am complaining, modern referees seem to be under direction to not issue cards too easily. I certainly have always believed that the first yellow card in a game sets the tone of control over excessive physicality and overly aggressive play. Calling fouls and issuing cards establishes the boundaries of play on the field, AND protects the players. The sloppy manner with which this is often done currently is a disservice to the game.
Thanks for your live updates! They are the best way to follow when livestreams or other viewing are unavailable.
I live off of Guardian’s live updates during the TdF...
As do I.
Extra time midway point: USA 1-0 Germany
Naeher is warned to avoid time-wasting. She wastes about 10 more seconds.
OK, let’s hit the inbox.
105 min: Corner kick to Germany. Complex movements in the penalty area.
Then an effort at an Olimpico! Naeher has to stretch up to punch the ball away before it swings into the top of the net.
One minute of stoppage time.
104 min: Cautious US possession now as we draw nearer to the break.
Then a CHANCE, and how did Sophia Smith miss? Nighswonger puts the ball over the top, and Smith is one-on-one with Berger. The shot she scored on was so much more difficult that this opportunity, though replay shows how well Berger did to stretch a leg to it.
103 min: Rodman seems to feel another goal is coming. She tees herself up for a shot that fizzes over the bar.
102 min: Albert shows her industry in midfield. Whatever Hayes did to get the team to accept her after her social media transgressions, it has paid off.
Nüsken holds two US jerseys at once. That’s impressive if not legal.
100 min: Girma is simply superb. She rushes across the field to shield a ball out of play. A simple play, but she just seems one step ahead of everyone, mentally and physically, at all times. She has a good case for player of the game, as does Swanson.
If it stays this way …
99 min: Swanson will take the corner because she’s now playing eight positions at once. It sails past everything.
98 min: I see mail coming in – I’ll get to it in the extra-time break.
Germany seem shocked by the goal. Here comes Swanson again. She plays to Rodman, who tries a cheeky shot that gets deflected for a corner.
So as I was saying, of course Emma Hayes was making all the right decisions. Never a need to bring in Jaedyn Shaw. That’s what I said, right?
Gooooooaaalll! USA 1-0 Germany (Smith 95)
Just like that! Swanson puts it to Smith, and even with Rauch apparently in the right spot, Smith stretches out a leg and taps the ball past Berger.
93 min: Swanson’s exertion level today is astronomical. She’s on the right flank at midfield with it now.
Germany gain possession, and Bühl takes on Fox one-on-one. Her shot goes through Fox’s legs but right at Naeher.
92 min: Rodman with a speculative cross. Not a terrible idea.
Swanson wins the ball and seems to be the only one moving on the field, but she gets weak contact on her shot from 22 yards.
92 min: Lohmann is the player Germany have taken off.
It’s a passive, wary start to extra time for both sides.
So Jaedyn Shaw remains on the bench. She’s inexperienced, sure. She might not be fully fit – but if she’s not, why wasn’t she replaced on the roster by alternate Croix Bethune?
Subs: Elisa Senss on for Germany.
Emma Hayes brings on two subs – Korbin Albert for the captain Horan, Jenna Nighswonger for … Crystal Dunn? That can’t be!
Full time: USA 0-0 Germany
Remember goals in the first 90 minutes? Ah, the good old days.
To extra time we go.
90 min +5: Dunn commits a foul at midfield, awarded on a long-delayed whistle.
Germany take their time with this one, trying to make it uncomfortable. For the USA.
It’s headed to Naeher for the easy save, but she bobbles it before collecting.
90 min +4: Dunn faces down a defender, almost finds space and ends up getting a throw-in.
Do they have anyone who can throw it 40 yards? Wasn’t that a thing in women’s soccer for a while? Remember the flip throw?
90 min +2: Horan wins the ball and slams it forward. Not a bad idea if they could catch Germany unaware, but they don’t.
Rodman again with it. She makes a smart choice and sends back to Fox, then to Girma.
90 min +1: Rodman tries to force a pass.
USA regain the ball. Fox to Rodman to Coffey, floated into the area.
Back to Dunn, to Sonnett, to Fox, nice run and she’s possibly fouled, ball into Williams, and the US forward commits a foul.
90 min: Germany may have had the better of play from halftime until the 80-minute mark or so, but I think the USA have turned the tide. I’d still be very wary of a counterattack.
Five minutes of stoppage time will be played.
89 min: Rodman finds Swanson, but Swanson is too close to the end line for an effective cross.
The world broadcast feed shows us the graphic of the alleged moment the ball was passed to Swanson before she put the ball in the net, and she’s offside by two or three yards. Not sure we needed that.
88 min: I almost wonder if Emma Hayes believes her side have the advantage in extra time. That would explain the lack of substitutions.
Ball is played down to Swanson on the left, and her cross is almost on target.
Lynn Williams lobs the ball into the middle of the penalty area, and Berger has to get through traffic to punch clear.
This is better from the USA.
87 min: And indeed, Swanson was off. That was a very short VAR review if one was taken at all.
86 min: The ball is in the net, but Swanson was almost certainly offside.
Good finish, though.
Updated
85 min: Germany hold the ball 35 yards from their goal. Slight bursts of US pressure.
They start to break, but Swanson brilliantly comes back to win the ball, then unbrilliantly passes too far ahead of Smith.
Updated
83 min: Joe Pearson writes: “Regarding Foudy’s comments about mistreatment of the athletes, frankly it’s been a theme at this Olympics. No air-conditioning, bad food, making them swim in a poop-filled river. It goes on and on. All spectacle, no respect.”
I’ll share that with her. She’ll appreciate it.
A rather ambitious passing attempt from Germany there.
82 min: Freigang down the right, centers, back to Freigang, someone’s probably offside there, the ball is centered again, but guess who’s there?
And NOW the flag goes up.
82 min: Smith is knocked down. The referee plays advantage – and given the USA’s lack of danger from free kicks, it’s a beneficial call. But Horan takes too long to tee up her shot.
80 min: The USA win a throw-in and hold the ball for an eternity. Patience almost pays off as Smith ends up with the ball. Her shot is deflected back to Rodman, whose one-timer is well-held by Berger.
The USA’s shots haven’t been sure goals by any means, but with a lesser keeper, the game might indeed be at least 1-0 by now.
79 min: CHANCE FOR THE USA, as the ball is kept alive off the corner kick, and Horan gets a decent header on frame and away from Berger’s body, but the capable German keeper is able to make the save.
78 min: Hegering remains down. The crowd has started what is often incorrectly called a “Mexican wave.” It’s a wave.
Bibiane Schulze Soriano replaces Hegering.
Would the USA bring on Jaedyn Shaw? Is she healthy?
Updated
76 min: And enough with the whistling. Use your words.
Rodman turns on the right and wins a corner. Not bad work there.
Hegering, who blocked the cross, is down and may also have a cramp. As a reminder, Germany are short-handed at this point – though another way of looking at it would be that they’ve brought in alternates who are well rested.
75 min: Bühl dribbles 20 yards undisturbed by a US midfielder, then dishes to a teammate who is easily dispossessed. There’s some whistling as if a foul occurred. I don’t think it did.
73 min: Germany work the ball around the top of the penalty area, and Minge shoots from 22 right around hand height for Naeher. Maybe not the best option available.
Have I mentioned the USA might want to shore up central midfield? Maybe?
73 min: Should Hayes leave Rodman in the game because she can, like Jude Bellingham, be ineffective for all but five seconds that change the course of the game? And unlike Bellingham, she’s a very effective two-way player?
Or should she sub in … wow, not many options.
72 min: Rodman has the ball again and crosses into nothing again.
The ball pings around to Smith, whose shot through traffic deflects off Lynn Williams, who’s standing in front of her.
71 min: Now Horan, playing in her professional home of Lyon, wins the ball 25 yards out. The attack is promising until Rodman passes into two German defenders.
On her day, Rodman is one of the best attackers the USA have had in a long while, which is saying a lot. This is not her day. She still tracks back very well, of course.
70 min: I’ve received an email that’s too long to read while Germany attack again, then win possession in central midfield. Nüsken bails out the USA by fouling Horan.
68 min: I’ll repeat from the Japan game, though, that the USA played smartly against Japan by simply maintaining possession without running too much.
But Hayes will need some subs here. Germany just brought on Laura Freigang for the ineffective Anyomi. Again, I’ll say Korbin Albert needs to be on the field now.
67 min: Anyomi races alone down the right flank as Dunn is caught elsewhere. She crosses, which is huge mistake because the USA have, I’ll say again, the best center back in the world in Naomi Girma, who’s right there.
Anyomi falls to the ground with an apparent cramp, and Naeher sportingly helps her stretch before trainers arrive and everyone takes an unofficial hydration break.
66 min: Champion and Foudy are belaboring the stress of the Olympic tournament, with many games compressed into a couple of weeks and some unusual travel involved. They’re not wrong, and the biggest issue is the roster size. Having 18 players and four alternates is simply absurd.
63 min: While injured and tired players are tended to, here’s a comment from Matt Turner:
Regarding your halftime pet theory, I think it has some validity. My daughter is part of an NWSL academy and their matches against local opposition are frequently one-sided, to the point they are attempting to play against the boys in the upcoming season. But this is why clubs now travel all over the U.S. in the ECNL (Elite Club National League) in order to find more difficult competition. This works, but it also contributes significantly to the pay-to-play problem in this country, with travel costs going into the thousands of dollars each year. Maybe in a country as large as the U.S. you’re damned either way?
Also, if you have 20 chances and only take 2 of them how do you beat an opponent 10-0?
Because the team as a whole gets 100 chances.
The problem with the ECNL is that there are also other leagues that have top teams, so a good club from Loudoun County can fly to Florida to play games that are no more competitive than they would find in Arlington. And so on.
US Soccer needs a unified youth soccer structure. But their lawyers are already busy fending off lawsuits from, say, a dormant league with a lawsuit that persists for no reason other than vengeance.
62 min: CHANCE FOR THE USA, by far the best of the game. Girma plays it ahead to Swanson, who gets around Berger and … hits the side netting. Might have opted to pass.
The flag was apparently up, but we haven’t seen a replay, and I seriously doubt she was offside.
60 min: As much as I admire Emma Hayes and her resume, to the point at which I wrote a piece for The Guardian questioning why she would bother to take this job, I have to question that sub. Germany are controlling the center of the field, at least until the ball reaches the stout defender Girma.
58 min: The sub is likely to be Lynn Williams, but while she’s not the most popular player on the team for various reasons we don’t need to discuss here, Korbin Albert should be the one coming in. The center midfield is being overrun.
A comical no-call from the referee as Bühl runs over Rodman. And Rodman is down injured.
It will indeed be Williams, but we can hear Emma Hayes yelling, “Is she OK?”
Apparently so, and it’ll be Rose Lavelle, who’s rarely fit to play 90 minutes, coming off.
So … Swanson to midfield? That won’t help.
57 min: Guinn goes for a repeat of her long-range goal against the USA in their group-stage game, but this one is wide.
It’s been mostly Germany in this half. Emma Hayes is preparing a sub.
56 min: A long pass deflects out, and the USA win a goal kick to the chagrin of Anyomi, who charges 30 yards to scream at the referee. She may be right, but that’s where refs should draw the line on dissent.
55 min: Lohmann with a dangerous cross for Germany, headed clear by Girma.
Brand ends up with a shot from the top of the area, but it’s an easy roller to Naeher.
US fans surely getting more than a little nervous here.
54 min: Lohmann knocks down Coffey and is surprised that the referee makes the correct call. Sorry, but there are 400 TV cameras pointed at you. One of them is going to find the foul that was committed.
53 min: Lavelle gives up the ball rather cheaply at midfield. Good thing the world’s best center back is behind her.
Girma had some unfathomingly high number of completed passes in the keepaway session that was the Japan game.
52 min: Rodman crosses, and it’s not bad, but Berger is alert.
51 min: A momentary lull.
Kate Blackmon writes: “I was at UNC, 1985-1990, and used to watch the women’s soccer games for a dollar. I also taught at least a couple of them as undergraduates -- they were proper student-athletes, unlike (American) football and basketball players. I remember seeing Mia Hamm play as a 16-year-old and wowing everyone, before she went to UNC.”
At least one player went to class with my wife. UNC had a few academic issues a few years later, but I don’t think they involved the women’s soccer team.
Today, of course, players in all US sports practically transfer midgame, so who knows what classes they’re attending.
49 min: Undoubtedly, the fingers will be pointing at Emma Hayes if the USA fail to win her, because in the eyes of many US fans, the players are never, ever, ever, ever at fault.
But Smith and Rodman have long struggled with consistency in the final third. Hayes can’t change that in a couple of months.
Now another collision in midfield, in which a German player fouls Girma but the free kick is given to Germany.
I sometimes struggle as a ref to point the right way when the teams change ends at halftime. Maybe that’s what’s going on here?
47 min: Horan barges her way in the air past Lohmann to win a header, and both players wince after the impact. The foul, perplexingly, is given against Germany, and the USA get an undeserved free kick.
Maybe the USA have proven so inept on free kicks that they are now forced to take them when they foul.
Updated
46 min: This is better from Germany, a solid run down the middle to split the center mids and then put the ball wide to Bühl, whose cross is blocked by Fox.
Gordon from Aberdeen checks in again: “This tournament continues to disappoint. A poor first half with little excitement. But, with the USA having failed to score early, Germany are growing in confidence.”
Fair.
Sub: Emily Sonnett replaces Tierna Davidson. Were they expecting to get just 45 minutes from the returning center back?
I’m on a message board that has some experienced referees offering their takes on what’s going on in the football world. Just checked and found this:
“Is persistent infringement no longer a thing? Even the Guardian is annoyed at the ref.”
So there you have it, I can now cite the message board citing … me.
Joe Pearson clarifies the stat: “Opta gives the shot at 23:48 to Brand; the one at 27:07 to Nüsken. I thought you were referring to the latter.”
I don’t mind the long lob going uncredited – one could argue that it was a long pass that got away and sailed to Naeher. Brand’s shot on goal was the best opportunity of the game.
Here’s a pet theory:
US players lack the quality on finishing or on that final pass in the attacking third because they grow up playing in so many uncompetitive games in which their youth teams crush another youth team 10-0 or something like that. It’s easy to look like a monster when you get 20 chances and just need to finish two or three of them. It’s more difficult when you get two chances and score on one.
Granted, this theory is undermined by the fact that the NWSL is far more competitive from top to bottom than the leagues in Germany and Spain.
Halftime: USA lead 0-0
Perhaps that’s unfair – the USA have had more shots than Germany (7 shots, 5 on target), but Germany had the best shot of the half, even if the Olympic stats feed didn’t notice it.
45 min: Hegering will need to be careful now. She can only foul three more times. Maybe four.
Horan fouls as the free kick is floated again, another set piece in which the USA are not convincing.
44 min: YELLOW CARD TO HEGERING. Fourth time’s a charm, and she cynically knocked down Swanson just as Rodman was preparing to pass to her linemate.
42 min: The German leaders at the moment: Hegering has 3 fouls, Brand 2, then 1 each for Hendrich, Lohmann, Nüsken, Rauch and Anyomi.
The latter seemed to be the most painful, as Fox didn’t recover all that quickly.
41 min: Champion does note, though, that one of the nicknames they were considering is the name of a Chinese crime syndicate.
The ball is played away from one of the three, Trinity Rodman.
40 min: Julie Foudy and Jon Champion of NBC are trying to nail down a nickname for the three US forwards.
Let’s talk after they score in this game.
38 min: ESPN’s stat feed says it was Brand who had the German shot on goal.
Maybe we have three games in alternate universes. It was only a matter of time before the USWNT joined the MCU.
37 min: Smith misfires from the top of the area.
Dunn maintains possession but passes aimlessly.
Horan wins a corner.
36 min: Just for a change of pace, Smith is dispossessed cleanly for a change.
But then Anyomi barges into Fox. That’s eight or nine fouls on Germany, depending on which site you’re checking, and it’s getting frankly comical. Persistent infringement is a thing. Trust me. I’m a ref. (Or I can read.)
33 min: The official IOC site maintains that Germany have had no shots at all and therefore none on target. I must have hallucinated.
They get another one, but it’s a long-range effort that arcs gently into Naeher’s arms.
32 min: Smith is away on the left and tries to center it back to Swanson, but Germany intercept.
31 min: THAT, the official stats feed records as a shot. Not the shot that made Naeher sprawl and tip to the recovering Dunn.
Joe Pearson says Nüsken had the shot in question.
30 min: Lavelle takes the free kick and places it impeccably on the head of a German defender.
The USA regain possession, and Horan puts a semi-shot into Berger’s hands.
29 min: The IOC results feed has not mentioned the German shot of a few minutes ago, which is a bit because I wanted to credit the player who had it but wasn’t able to catch her number.
Smith is hauled down again by Hegering, and the referee should really be doing more than awarding a free kick from which the USA will not score. There are these things in her pocket called “cards.” Unless she forgot something.
27 min: Joe Pearson: “So Rose Lavelle is sporting a single performance sleeve on her left leg. Do we think this is to help with an injury, or is she just channeling her inner Angel Reese?”
Lavelle is so frequently injured that I can only assume the sleeve is hiding copious quantities of duct tape.
Another half-chance for Germany.
25 min: Coffey steals and passes wide for … you guessed it, Dunn. But her cross is somewhere near Monaco. We’re playing in Lyon.
24 min: CHANCE FOR GERMANY, and Naeher is lucky no other Germany players were forward. Too easy for Germany down the left flank, and Naeher had to move quickly to keep it from rolling in at the far post. The ubiquitous Dunn cleans up.
23 min: We’re in a midfield battle now, which is why I’ve had time to stroll down Duke-UNC memory lane. In the late 80s and early 90s, the Atlantic Coast Conference was arguably the world’s best women’s soccer league.
22 min: Paul Pooley correctly gets the last member of the triple-edged sword. It was onetime US coach April Heinrichs.
“I was at law school at UNC from 86-89. The building is next to Fetzer Field. I spent many an afternoon watching the two best teams in the country (the starters v. the reserves) training. Matches were nowhere near as competitive, e.g., during those years they had a 95-match unbeaten streak (89–0–6). Despite my enduring Duke allegiance I am compelled to acknowledge they were a treat to watch.”
Yeah, but Duke scored the first goal against them in an NCAA final during that spell. Or maybe the next one. I get them confused. US coach Anson Dorrance brought all the best athletes in the sport to UNC. They were gazelles mixed with tanks.
21 min: Naeher somehow gets a punch on the ball while surrounded by 43 players, like an old Mad magazine cartoon.
This is a worrying spell for the USA.
20 min: A bit better from Germany at the moment, and Davidson plays it clear.
This has all the hallmarks of a game in which the USA dominate but Germany finish clinically and win.
Emily Fox heads a long cross clear for a corner.
18 min: Hegering slams Dunn to the ground to stop the USA from racing off on the counter. Being a referee, I’d argue for a yellow card there.
Our officials are: referee Bouchra Karboubi (Morocco), AR Fatiha Jermoumi (Morocco), AR Diana Chikotesha (Zambia) and VAR Ivan Bebek (Croatia).
17 min: Oh dear – a simple pass rolls right through a US midfielder’s legs (Horan, maybe? The one who plays for Lyon?), and Germany are off to the races. Dunn recovers, and it’s a corner kick.
16 min: Lavelle takes a free kick, the results of which aren’t really worth mentioning.
But the USA maintain possession for a bit. As they have all game.
15 min: Peter Oh writes:
Hayes versus Hrubesch is a fascinating clash of managers. I’m old enough to remember Hrubesch knocking in goals for Hamburger SV in the early 80s.
And yes, it sure does sound like Hayes has a natural megaphone built into her vocal cords! Unlike the French language, there’s absolutely no silent H in the USA technical area.
14 min: Must European soccer fans whistle? It’s so unpleasant.
The USA are wearing unusually bright red shorts.
The corner kick is cleared.
13 min: NBC’s Julie Foudy, herself part of that 1991 World Cup team, notes that the US women have scored one goal from a direct free kick in four and a half years.
And it continues.
But they earn a corner kick, on which they sometimes score.
12 min: Hendrich hauls down Smith 22 yards out. This would be trouble if the USA could score on a set piece.
10 min: Another German attack, and Girma perfectly times a tackle. Then tracking back to win the ball and earn a foul is … can you guess which US forward?
9 min: Two minutes have elapsed since the last US shot. Germany are just now getting into the attacking third for the first time. Girma bids the ball adieu.
Will Battersby: “Because you sullied football coverage with a mention of Duke I feel duty-bound as the father of a soon-to-be Tar Heel freshman, that 2 of the US starting lineup are UNC alumni. Did any attend Duke?”
No, but Duke had an alum on Nigeria’s team. So there.
(My wife went to UNC. I also have a first-year collegian going to the other coast.)
7 min: It’s a third save for Berger, and they’ve all been too easy. Smith shoots straight at her from a little left of the goal, 16 yards out.
6 min: My goodness, Emma Hayes is loud.
Paul Pooley gets three of the “triple-edged sword” from the 1991 World Cup – Michelle Akers and Carin Jennings (later Gabarra). The third was not Mia Hamm.
4 min: It should be 1-0. Rodman is away into space. She centers. Swanson lets it go to Lavelle, who has a wide-open shot from 15 yards. But it’s right at Berger.
2 mins: The free kick sails to the far post, where Davidson gets a solid header on it, but Berger read it well the whole way.
2 mins: Lohmann fouls Crystal Dunn, who is already getting up into the attack. She’s listed as an attacker on the roster. As they always said about Roberto Carlos, left back is where she can be found in case of emergency.
Kickoff: It seems to be a larger crowd, but the fans are so quiet that we can hear everything the players are yelling to each other.
From a correspondent in Aberdeen:
I have been avidly following this tournament, but, although there has been some excitement, the standard of play has been disappointing. I endured all four QFs on Saturday - and I use the word “endured” deliberately.
Many are assuming that we will see the USA playing Spain later this week - and I do, too - but it may be in the Bronze Medal match.
USA may have beaten Japan in their QF, but the Americans were awful in possession, continually giving the ball away. I think the Germans will have learned from their defeat by the USA in the group game, and, it is to their advantage that the toiling Popp is not playing.
Germany to take it.
I think that’s a bit extreme. No way Spain end up playing for bronze.
As if to underscore the point – I just watched a minute of skateboarding, and Team GB’s Sky Brown pushed the USA’s Bryce Wettstein off the podium after two runs.
So my apologies to Emma Hayes and company. If Germany wins, it’s clearly my fault.
A bad omen for the USA – apparently, this is going to be one of those days in which US teams do well when I am not watching. The women’s volleyball team had a big lead in Set 1 until I tuned in. They almost lost that set. Without my attention, they cruised through Set 2.
It’s not that I’m that much of a “homer.” But the universe does strange things to those who share an affiliation with me when I’m watching. I’m not sure Duke has won a basketball game I’ve watched since 1992. My high school got really good at football decades after I graduated. And so on.
Germany lineup
Goalkeeper: Ann-Katrin Berger (Gotham FC)
Defense (left to right): Felicitas Rauch (North Carolina), Marina Hegering (Wolfsburg), Kathrin Hendrich (Wolfsburg), captain Giulia Gwinn (Bayern Munich)
Midfield (left to right): Klara Bühl (Bayern Munich), Janina Minge (Freiburg), Sydney Lohmann (Bayern Munich), Jule Brand (Wolfsburg)
Forward: Nicole Anyomi (Eintracht Frankfurt), Sjoeke Nüsken (Chelsea/ENG)
Three of the starters – Rauch, Minge and Anyomi – were originally alternates. Germany are missing Alexandra Popp (ill) and Lea Schüller (knee tendon inflammation). Lohmann slides into Popp’s center midfield place. Anyomi replaces Schüller.
Berger was superb in the win over Canada and even took the clinching penalty kick herself before a sedate crowd of 12,517 in Marseille, which must be distracted by all the sailing delays. The bad news: Germany managed only one shot on target. And now they’re facing Naomi Girma and a returning Tierna Davidson.
According to The Guardian’s list of the top 100 female footballers in the world, Popp is 6th, Lena Oberdorf 16th, Bühl 72nd, Merle Frohms 81st, Lina Magull 97th. Frohms is available as the backup keeper. Bühl is playing. The other three players on that list are not. Oberdorf is out with a knee injury.
On paper, this is not a team that should challenge the USA. But again – it’s Germany.
US lineup
Let’s all gaze upon US Soccer’s elegant lineup announcement, then take note of what’s new today:
The Semifinal XI vs Germany 🇺🇸 #USWNT x @Visa
— U.S. Women's National Soccer Team (@USWNT) August 6, 2024
Lineup Notes ⤵️
Note the name Tierna Davidson. The center back returns from injury today (by the rules of the Olympics’ painfully short rosters, Emily Sams returns to the reserve list), and Sam Coffey is back from suspension. They both go straight back into the starting XI, which means versatile defender/defensive mid Emily Sonnett and center mid Korbin Albert will be potent options off the bench.
In case you need more detail on these players:
Goalkeeper: Alyssa Naeher (Chicago)
Defense (left to right): Crystal Dunn (Gotham FC), Tierna Davidson (Gotham FC), Naomi Girma (San Diego), Emily Fox (Arsenal/ENG)
Midfield (defensive to less defensive): Sam Coffey (Portland), Lindsey Horan (Lyon/FRA), and Rose Lavelle (Gotham FC)
Forward (left to right): Sophia Smith (Portland), Mallory Swanson (Chicago), Trinity Rodman (Washington)
After Albert enjoyed a trip to Parc des Princes, her “home” stadium at Paris Saint-Germain, Horan gets a turn playing at her home of Lyon.
The Olympic results feed posits this as a 4-5-1 with Smith running alone up front while Swanson and Rodman flank Lavelle in midfield. They move fluidly – you’ll see Rodman on the left or Swanson all over the place at times – but that seems a stretch.
Preamble
Welcome to a game that may be seen as a referendum on legendary English manager Emma Hayes but is really more of a challenge to the US women’s soccer team’s vaunted frontline, which seems to have dipped in productivity since ripping four goals past Germany and starting the search for a nickname as cool as “the triple-edged sword,” the tag given to the women who lit up the first-ever Women’s World Cup in 1991.
Points given (or credit in this commentary) to anyone who can name the three players who earned that nickname.
More importantly, this game will determine whether the USA or Germany will play for gold.
Though the USA took a 4-1 decision in group play, and Germany labored past Canada with a 0-0 draw and a penalty shootout win (by Germany? Who’d have thought?), no one will be taking this game lightly. The US women have some injury concerns, and … well … it’s Germany.
Beau will be here shortly. In the meantime, here’s how the US got here:
The United States women’s national team under new broom Emma Hayes are two wins from a record-extending fifth Olympic gold medal, after a Trinity Rodman wonder strike in extra time broke open a tightly contested quarter-final with Japan that failed to catch fire until the final reel.
The women’s football tournament at these Paris Games should at least begin to determine whether the Americans’ torpid 46-month run under the departed Vlatko Andonovski will be remembered merely as a flop period or, as a practically salivating global football establishment have openly manifested, a permanent regression from the class of perennial favorite.
The jury remains out but early returns are promising. Hayes, the former Chelsea manager who took the reins two months ago, has guided the US to four wins in her first four meaningful games. Held to only four goals in as many games during last year’s World Cup washout, the Americans smashed in nine on a perfect run through the Olympic group stage. The wait for a 10th on Saturday afternoon was an often uncomfortable one, but its arrival brought Hayes’ squad within touching distance of the podium.
“It was very tactical,” Hayes said. “That’s why I liked it so much. It was a match of grit and determination. It was decided by one moment of brilliance.”
You can read the full report below:
