The U.S. women’s national team (USWNT) once held an aura of inevitability, a dominance that waned in recent years as global competition intensified. On Sunday, that dominance returned with a vengeance.
The USWNT secured a commanding 4-1 victory over Germany, earning a spot in the knockout rounds of the 2024 Paris Olympics. This win, the most decisive and significant since Emma Hayes took over as head coach in November, serves as a stern warning to the rest of the Olympic contenders and a confidence boost to a team that had experienced unprecedented lows over the past year.
Sophia Smith shone brightly, scoring twice, while Mallory Swanson added her third goal of the tournament, leading the U.S. to a three-goal lead by halftime for the second consecutive match. Late in the game, Lynn Williams came off the bench to seal the victory with a fourth goal.
Smith’s second goal, a deflected shot that took an improbable spin off the post, exemplified the team’s renewed fortune. This moment of apparent luck was a testament to the USWNT’s relentless pressure and strategic play.
The attacking trio of Smith, Swanson, and Trinity Rodman, combined with playmaker Rose Lavelle, orchestrated the first goal with precision. Rodman’s cross and Swanson’s strategic near-post run disrupted the German defense, allowing Smith to finish at the back post. “The first one was right off the training ground,” Smith told NBC Olympics. “The second one, a little bit of luck, but I felt like we manifested that luck.”
Despite conceding a first-half goal to Giulia Gwinn, Germany’s standout player, the USWNT dominated the second half. The U.S. maintained control, limiting Germany to just 0.80 expected goals, per TruMedia, and turning much of the half into a possession exercise.
This victory marked the first time the U.S. defeated a top-five world opponent since their narrow 2-1 win over Germany in a November 2022 friendly. That previous match was more about avoiding a four-match losing streak, following defeats to England and Spain, than a display of dominance.
Sunday’s emphatic win, achieved without Germany’s midfield anchor Lena Oberdorf, sidelined by an ACL injury, signaled a return to form reminiscent of the pre-2023 World Cup era. The Americans hadn’t enjoyed such a comfortable win against a top-tier opponent in a major tournament since the 2019 World Cup. Their 2021 bronze medal campaign had been a struggle, marked by just two wins in six games.
Defensively, center-back Naomi Girma was outstanding, continuing her excellent form by nullifying Germany’s threats. Emily Sonnett, stepping in after Tierna Davidson’s injury, maintained the defensive stability, while Emily Fox delivered a consistent performance against Germany’s wingers.
Offensively, the USWNT is hitting its stride at the perfect time. With Swanson, Smith, and Rodman all finding their form and scoring, the team’s attacking pressure is formidable as they approach the knockout stages.
Next up is a group stage finale against Australia, a rematch of the 2021 bronze-medal game the U.S. won. Given Australia’s defensive struggles, conceding eight goals in two games, the American attack seems poised to capitalize.
While progress isn’t always linear, and it would be premature to crown the USWNT as gold-medal favorites based on one result, the team’s dominant performance against the world’s fourth-ranked side is a significant statement. Coach Hayes noted that recent results had diminished opponents’ fear of the U.S., but this victory could reignite that fear and mark the true beginning of a new era for the USWNT.
