The group stage showdown between the two most decorated nations in women’s soccer more than lived up to the billing as the U.S. Women’s National Team defeated Germany 4-1 on July 28 at Stade de Marseille in its second match of the 2024 Summer Olympics.
With both teams coming off victories to open the tournament, the Germans – who entered the match ranked fourth in the world – and fifth-ranked Americans squared off in Marseille in the first ever meeting between the teams in the group stage of an Olympics or World Cup.
Sophia Smith wasted little time making her mark on the match, giving the USA a 1-0 lead in the 10th minute with what proved to be the USA’s fastest goal of Paris 2024.Trinity Rodman and Rose Lavelle combined for a give-and-go down the right flank, drawing out the defense and creating room for Rodman to fire a low, driven cross to the top of the six-yard boss. After a deft dummy by Mallory Swanson, Smith swept in for the one-touch finish from close range.
Germany countered quickly, equalizing just 12 minutes later on a strike from distance by defender Giulia Gwinn. It was the first goal conceded by the U.S. in six games under new head coach Emma Hayes and ended a streak of 475 consecutive shutout minutes for the Americans dating back to the SheBelieves Cup final on April 9.
The U.S. response was fast and emphatic, reclaiming the lead in the 26th minute as Swanson scored her third goal of the tournament. Smith unleashed a powerful shot from the top of the area that was tipped away by German goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger, but directly into the path of an onrushing Swanson. Coming off a brace in the opener against Zambia, Swansonburied the rebound in the back of the net to put the U.S. back in front. The goal also made her the first USWNT player to ever score three or more goals in the team’s first two matches of an Olympic tournament.
Smith completed her brace in the 44th minute, giving the Americans a 3-1 advantage heading into the locker room as she controlled a poor clearance by the German defense. She collected the ball and fired off a shot from the edge of the penalty area that skimmed off a defender and curled inside the upper right corner. It was Smith’s seventh career multi-goal game and second at a world championship event, also bagging a brace against Vietnam in the opening match of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Trailing by two goals, Germany pushed forward as expected in the second half, but the U.S. defense held strong, led in large part by a stellar performance in goal from Alyssa Naeherwho finished the night the six saves.
Lynn Williams put the cherry ontop of the total team performance to close out the night, scoring just four minutes after entering the match as a substitute. Rodman kicked off the counterattack after stealing the ball in the U.S. half, then drove up the flank before finding Swanson in the middle. The Colorado standout found Williams on the left and the two-time Olympian sent a low shot to the far post, burying the attempt in the 89th minute for her second career Olympic goal.
With the 4-1 win, the U.S. clinched a spot in the Olympic quarterfinals with one group stage game remaining, opening the Olympics with back-to-back victories for just the fifth time in program history. With the victory, Hayes joined Anson Dorrance as the only head coaches in USWNT history to win their first two matches at a major tournament.