Key Events
4th minute: The US women’s team counterattacks, with Rodman taking the ball down the right flank into the box and then sending a cross to the far post. Lavelle’s follow-up shot is too central and is collected by the goalkeeper.
79th minute: The US women’s team delivers a corner from the right side into the box, where a series of headers leads to a close-range header by Huerta, which is saved by Berger.
95th minute: Pugh plays a through ball from the edge of the box, and Smith, getting ahead of the defender and before the goalkeeper can intervene, pokes the ball home, breaking the deadlock for the US women’s team with a 1-0 lead.
Match Report
August 7: In the Olympic semi-final for women’s football, the US women’s team faced off against the German women’s team.
The US women’s team reached the semi-finals for the second consecutive time, while Germany returned to the semi-finals after an 8-year absence since the 2016 Rio Olympics. In their last 18 meetings, the US women’s team had a record of 10 wins, 6 draws, and only 2 losses during regular time, including undefeated records of 3 wins and 1 draw in official matches at the Olympics and World Cup.
2nd minute: The US women’s team sends a free kick from the left side into the box, where Davidson’s header is straight at the goalkeeper and easily saved.
17th minute: Germany opens a corner from the right side, causing confusion in front of goal, but Nahid clears the danger.
24th minute: Brand takes the ball into the box and attempts a shot from a tight angle, which is saved on the ground by Nahid.
38th minute: The US women’s team delivers a corner from the left side, but it is too close to the goalkeeper and is easily collected by Berger.
The rest of the first half sees little threat from either team, and they go into halftime with a score of 0-0.
55th minute: Germany has its first shot on target in the match, but Brand’s shot is too central and is saved by Nahid.
57th minute: Gwinn tries a long-range shot from outside the box, but it goes just wide of the far post.
62nd minute: Pugh takes the ball into the box, facing the advancing Berger, evades her challenge near the baseline and attempts a shot from a tight angle, but hits the side netting.
72nd minute: Smith takes a shot from the edge of the box that deflects off a defender and misses the target.
74th minute: Minge takes a shot from the edge of the box, but it is too central and is saved by the US goalkeeper Nahid.
86th minute: Pugh receives a through ball, takes it into the box, and scores from a tight angle, but the goal is disallowed for offside, leaving the score at 0-0.
The teams remain scoreless during regular time and enter extra time.
92nd minute: Pugh’s low shot from the edge of the box misses the target.
94th minute: Buhl, inside the box, evades defenders and shoots from a tight angle, but Nahid makes the save.
103rd minute: Rodman takes a shot from the edge of the box but fails to hit the target, sending the ball high.
104th minute: Smith’s shot from a tight angle inside the box is blocked by Berger.
114th minute: Germany opens a corner from the right side, causing confusion in front of goal, but Nahid comes out and collects the ball, averting the danger.
120th minute: Smith takes the ball on a breakaway into the box, but her final shot is blocked by the advancing Berger.
Thereafter, neither team manages to score, and the US women’s team wins 1-0, advancing to the final after 12 years.
Player Lineups
US Women’s Team Starting Lineup: 1-Nahid; 7-Dunn; 4-Gilmore; 12-Davidson; 2-Fox; 10-Huerta; 9-Pugh; 16-Lavelle; 5-Rodman; 17-Coffee; 11-Smith; Substitutes: 18-Murphy; 14-Sonnet; 6-Kreiger; 3-Albright; 13-Naeher; 8-Williams; 15-Shaw;
German Women’s Team Starting Lineup: 12-Berger; 3-Hendrich; 15-Gwinn; 5-Hegering; 19-Rauch; 6-Minge; 17-Buhl; 8-Romann; 16-Brand; 21-Anjum; 9-Nusken; Substitutes: 1-Frohms; 13-Hajeh; 2-Lindner; 4-Bieben; 14-Elissa; 10-Fleugel; 18-Vivian;
