Germany’s gold medal hopes came to an end this evening, after being knocked out by Emma Hayes’ USA side in her first major tournament.
Die Nationalelf, who won gold in Rio, aimed to add to their collection and secure a place in the gold medal match, but as the two teams met in Lyon, the USA’s unstoppable Sophia Smith pipped them to the post.
Heading into the match, Germany already faced a challenge as they were without two star players, Alex Popp and Lea Schüller, due to injuries.
Within minutes of the game starting, Emma Hayes’ front three trio—consisting of Rodman, Smith, and Swanson—managed to send a total of ten shots on target towards Germany’s number one, Berger, though they were easily saved. Led by captain Horan, the USWNT asserted their dominance, with Germany struggling to maintain possession. The USA was running circles around the German midfield.
As the minutes ticked by, the Germans grew into the game, becoming more comfortable on and off the ball, and began to look dangerous on the attack. However, both teams struggled to finish their chances.
Staying focused and maintaining their defensive shape was crucial for both teams’ backlines. As the first half came to a close, it remained goalless. Maintaining energy and belief in their team would be important for the next 45 minutes.
Rodman constantly provided an attacking threat for the USA, keeping the German defense on high alert. The Germans saw many chances in the second half but lacked the quality to finish them. The best chance came from Gwinn, who sent a dangerous long-range effort narrowly wide of USA keeper Naeher, much to her relief.
The biggest chance of the game for the USA came from Swanson, who continued her run just slightly too wide of the goal, finding the side netting, much to the disappointment of her teammates, manager, and USA fans. This was a massive waste for the USA, as they could have sealed the game.
It was uncharacteristic of Swanson, Rodman, and Smith to be so wasteful in front of goal, with shots either too high, too wide, or well-defended by the German defence. Another effort from Smith could have put the USA ahead, but she was caught offside.
With time running out, the game was forced into extra time to find a winner, otherwise, penalties would have decided the outcome. Both teams pushed for a goal, but the defences held strong.
It was Smith for the USA who finally broke the deadlock, sending them to the gold medal match and ensuring the USA would now secure an Olympic medal in France. Found in the crowded German box by Swanson, she sent the ball out of Berger’s reach, leaving the goalkeeper stranded with nothing she could do.
With Germany behind and the seconds ticking down, their last chance came from a Freigang header, but Naeher rose high and collected the ball safely into her arms. Time ran out for Germany as the final whistle blew. They fought until the end, but their efforts were not enough.
They were unable to break through the solid USA defence and find the back of the net. However, it should be noted that Germany held strong through 90 minutes and forced the game into extra time, which they were unable to do in their previous meeting in the group stage of this competition.
Germany will now play Spain in the bronze medal match on Friday, while the USA will compete in the gold medal match against fellow finalists Brazil on Saturday.
Starting XIs
Germany: Berger, Rauch (Doorsour), Hegering (Schulze), Hendrich, Gwinn, Buhl, Minge, Nusken, Lohmann (Senb), Anyomi (Freigang), Brand
USA: Naeher, Davidson (Sonnet), Girma, Fox, Dunn (Nighswonger), Coffey, Horan (Albert), Rodman, Lavelle (Williams), Smith, Swanson (Krueger)
Featured image courtesy of Erik Drost via Flickr. No changes were made to this image. License details found here.
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