Smith, Girma dazzle for new-look USWNT as Olympic gold medal awaits

The U.S. women’s national team‘s identity is still one in progress, but Tuesday’s 2024 Olympic women’s soccer semifinal proved again that the Americans are a force on each end of the field.

Even as Germany controlled the middle of the field against the United States for long intervals of the match, the Americans proved superior inside each penalty area, as they had nine days earlier in their group-stage clash when they won 4-1. Forward Sophia Smith scored in the first half of extra time to lift the USWNT to a 1-0 victory and a place in the Olympic gold medal game for the first time since 2012.

The lone tally marked a very different match from the USWNT’s group-stage win over Germany, but it was all that was needed thanks to another resolute defensive effort. Center-back Naomi Girma was sensational again, as she has been while on the field for every minute of this Olympics and last year’s World Cup, and goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher made an acrobatic kick-save in the final seconds of extra time to deny Germany an equalizer.

These were the defining fine margins of a game of attrition in the midfield, one where the U.S. struggled at times to deal with Germany’s rotations and change of shape with and without the ball. The difference in the match was the Americans’ precision and consistency inside the box on both ends of the field.

The circumstance of Smith’s goal was eerily similar to teammate Trinity Rodman‘s extra-time winner three days earlier in the quarterfinal against Japan: a brilliant finish the ended a strong, ironic passage of play from the Americans.

Girma played a ball to holding midfielder Sam Coffey, who turned and, in a rare moment, had time on the ball centrally. Coffey then found Mallory Swanson with a vertical pass up Germany’s spine — which was pulled out of shape for once — and Swanson’s through ball to Smith had the perfect weight on it to draw out Germany goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger while only being within the reach of Swanson.

That quality in the final third has been a catalyst to the USWNT’s success throughout this Olympics. Swanson, Smith and Trinity Rodman have combined to contribute to 10 of the Americans’ 11 goals, a tangible sign of how incredible the trio has been — in stark contrast to last year’s World Cup, which Swanson missed due to injury and where Rodman and Smith struggled as part of wider issues for the United States.

Girma remains the constant on the other end of the field, even as center-back partner Tierna Davidson has struggled with injury at this tournament, including exiting Tuesday’s game at halftime. Girma snuffed out every German foray into the box on Tuesday, from last-minute headers while running at her own goal to calmly trapping Germany’s crosses as if she were receiving a pass from her own teammate. Girma’s performance at this Olympics only reiterates what has been obvious to anyone paying attention: She is easily among — if not already at 24 years old — the best center-back in the world. That was apparent at last year’s World Cup in spite of the USWNT’s struggles higher up the field.

Now, Girma’s defensive presence is a complement to an attack roaring on all cylinders. Naeher was rarely called upon in moments of true distress, but her flailing kick-save in the final moments of the game preserved the shutout and secured the victory.

Granted, part of the USWNT’s superiority inside the 18-yard box comes down to who Germany was without: forward Lea Schüller and veteran engine Alexandra Popp, who each missed the match due to injury. Even without them, Germany’s creative rotation of players created an advantage in the middle of the field. Jule Brand, normally a winger, oscillated between wide areas and a central position depending on whether Germany had possession, and it contributed to the Germans overwhelming the USWNT’s central midfield.

That should be of particular concern to USWNT head coach Emma Hayes considering Germany did not even have central midfielder Lena Oberdorf, who sustained a major knee injury right before the tournament. The U.S. midfield struggled in a different way — too passive in showing for the ball — in Saturday’s quarterfinal against Japan’s low block. Late heroics from the front line were also required for that victory.

Still, Hayes and her players will be thrilled to be in Saturday’s gold medal match, objectively ahead of schedule considering Hayes took charge of the team only two months ago. The USWNT has found different ways to win throughout these Olympics, from the dominance over Zambia, Germany and Australia in the group stage, to the slog against a disciplined Japan team. Tuesday’s performance was a gritty one as each side pushed through exhaustion from the demanding Olympic schedule and summer heat.

The Americans once again showed that they have flaws, including in midfield, but they also proved something that they have not — at least convincingly — since the last time they were in France, including in Lyon, the site of both Tuesday’s semifinal and their 2019 World Cup final triumph: This is a team that has found the right mix of talent, coaching and fortitude to solve different challenges as they have been presented. It is an old recipe for success for the USWNT, and it now has them one victory away from a fifth Olympic gold medal.