USA women’s soccer beat Germany in extra time to reach Olympic final

They have done it! The USA are heading to Paris to play in the gold medal match on Saturday.

Emma Hayes celebrates wildly and so do the players on the pitch.

They will play either Brazil or Spain on Saturday, August 10, at 11am ET.

Germany almost equalized in the 119th minute but Alyssa Naeher came up with a huge starfish save and Sophia Smith’s 95th minute goal was enough to get the USA past a stubborn Germany side.

This will be the USWNT’s first Olympic gold medal match since London 2012.

A free kick hits the wall and the loose ball is clipped over the top.

There are three Germany players ready to finish and Alyssa Naeher comes up with a huge save with her foot to deny Laura Freigang.

Replays show she was onside. What a moment.

At the other end Smith had a chance to wrap it up but Berger came up with a big stop.

A corner is whipped in and Germany win the knockdown and Brand puts a header towards goal which is deflected and loops up.

Naeher catches it calmly but that was a moment of panic for the USA.

Germany pushing hard to equalize late on. USWNT dropping deeper and deeper.

Krueger is on for Swanson, with the USWNT going to a back five late on. It’s a 5-4-1 formation now

You have to say, Emma Hayes has got the subs spot on during this game.

They have given the USWNT extra energy and the extra depth they had for this game with Coffey and Davidson coming back has made the difference. So far.

Germany have missed Schuller and Popp, of course.

This is it. 15 minutes to go in Lyon, and Emma Hayes had her side in a lengthy huddle on the sidelines.

They look fired up to finish the job. Rose Lavelle is roaring on her teammates.

Can Germany get a goal to take it to penalty kicks? Or will this sturdy USA side keep another shutout?

If they do, the USA are heading to Paris for the Olympic final on Saturday.

The message is very simple...

“The Trident” of Smith, Rodman and Swanson have now scored nine of the USA’s 11 goals at this tournament.

They have been exceptional today, giving the USWNT more energy and belief in the latter stages of the second half and in extra time.

That trio have pushed the USWNT on, just when they needed it.

There it is!

Mallory Swanson does superbly to play in Sophia Smith and she takes the shot at the perfect time, lifting it over the advancing Germany goalkeeper Berger.

That was a brilliant finish as Berger perhaps came out too far and Smith made the most of the opportunity.

Relief, and plenty of exhaustion, is etched over the faces of the USWNT players as they celebrate.

Jenna Nighswonger is on for Crystal Dunn at left back, while youngster Korbin Albert is on for captain Lindsey Horan in midfield.

That is a big call to take Horan out, but she was shouting over to the USWNT coaching staff at the end of regulation and perhaps she had an injury issue.

Aside from getting a header on target in the second half, Horan had struggled to have an impact in this game.

This is a huge moment for Korbin Albert as the USWNT hope to control the game better in midfield in extra time.

After 90 minutes it finishes 0-0 and we are heading to extra time.

The USA had the better of the first half and Germany were the better team in the second.

Very even, tight, tense game in Lyon.

We are now heading for the extra 30 minutes, and possibly penalty kicks, to decide which team will face Spain or Brazil in the final to fight for the gold medal.

We are in to five minutes of stoppage time and the USA are pressing.

Germany have held firm, so far, but they’re definitely feeling the exertions of their defensive work.

Will someone be the hero for either team in the final few seconds of normal time?

Swanson on the left flank and Rodman on the right are surging forward whenever they can.

After a good second half for Germany, they have faded badly.

The USA have regained control and look to be the team with momentum heading into stoppage time and potentially extra time.

My word, this is tense.

A ball is played in-behind by Dunn and Swanson finishes across goal superbly... but the offside flag is up.

The replay shows Swanson was clearly off and VAR confirms the decision. Emma Hayes thought that was the moment.

Much better from the USA and with a few minutes of normal time to go it is the USA who are pushing for the winner.

A corner from the right is half cleared by Germany and Horan then flies in with a diving header which Berger saves well to her right.

USWNT will be buoyed by that chance.

Just 10 minutes to go in Lyon. Are we heading to extra time? It sure feels like it.

With just over 15 minutes of regulation to go, the USWNT are looking pretty tired.

Germany have been doing all of the pressing in the second half and aside from that one big chance for Swanson, which was offside, the USA have had very little in attack.

Chants of “Deutschland!” are flowing around the stadium in Lyon.

The USWNT social media team are doing their best to get positive vibes flowing down to the team on the pitch.

Germany with a really promising attack as Anyomi charged into the penalty box and had multiple teammates arriving.

But her cross is cut out by, guess who? Naomi Girma. She has been everywhere.

The USA looking pretty susceptible on the counter attack but Girma is reading the game so well.

Girma strides forward from the back and clips over a lovely ball to Swanson who takes it around the goalkeeper.

But she puts her shot into the side-netting, and the offside flag went up.

Swanson was not happy with that finish. That ball from Girma was simply sensational.

Much better from the USA.

Germany really on top now. The USA have yet to get going in the second half.

Gwinn, forward from right back, drills a decent shot just wide of the far post.

That was almost very similar to the goal she scored in the USA’s 4-1 win over Germany in the group stage.

Emma Hayes respond to Germany being on top by bringing on Lynn Williams for Rose Lavelle. Very attacking substitution from Hayes.

Germany really finding some gaps in the USWNT midfield at the start of the second half.

Brand with one driving run centrally and now she pops up on the right.

She cuts into the box and her cross is a dangerous one but the brilliant Naomi Girma is there to block it and the USA clear.

The longer this game has gone on, the more dangerous Germany look.

Tierna Davidson is off at half time with Emily Sonnett replacing her at center back.

Davidson has been struggling with that knee injury and had just returned to the lineup after two games out.

This shouldn’t impact the USWNT too much, but still a blow for Emma Hayes that Davidson hasn’t been able to make it to the second half.

We are back underway in Lyon and there are big chants from both sets of fans.

Half time in Lyon and that was a very even first 45 minutes.

The USA looked more dangerous when they did get around the box, but Germany created chances on the counter and are very tough to break down.

Emma Hayes will be okay with that first half but she will be expecting a lot more from her side as the front three of Rodman, Smith and Swanson have yet to really get going.

Both teams will go into the locker rooms happy enough with that first half.

“Industrious but not inspirational” is Jon Champion’s summery on commentary and that sums it up perfectly.

As we approach half time, here are a few key stats to paint the picture of the game:

Possession: USA 61, Germany 39
Shots on target: USA 5, Germany 1
Fouls committed: USA 2, Germany 9
Touches in opposition box: USA 9, Germany 2

As you can see, the USA has more possession, shots on target and have been in the box more, but Germany have really tried to break up the flow of the game with constant fouls.

There isn’t much a of a rhythm to this one. All a bit scrappy, which exactly what Germany wants.

Smith gets in down the left and drives to the byline.

Her ball back towards Swanson is cut out by Hegering, who takes one touch 10 yards out and then pulls off a Cruyff turn before clearing. Wow.

Brilliant from the German defender to clear things up.

Jule Brand ran towards goal down the left and her low shot across goal forces Alyssa Naeher into a really good save.

Germany really growing in confidence. The USA are struggling to stop these counters from Germany and are lacking control on the ball.

Emma Hayes shouts “last pass” from the sidelines, as the USA almost got in after a long ball themselves found Swanson but the final pass was just away from her teammates.

Really intriguing clash unfolding in Lyon. Very small margins.

This question is very relevant on two levels and has two answers.

Alexandra Popp is the all-time leading goalscorer for Germany, and she’s the captain of this team but she’s missing through illness.

Lea Schuller is Germany’s top goalscorer at the Paris 2024 Olympics with three goals and she’s also missing through a left knee injury.

Brand, Buhl, Nusken and Anyomi are tasked with being the attacking threat for Germany today.

Sam Coffey is probably the USWNT’s most important player and it is so good to see her back after her suspension for the Japan game.

Coffey is just sitting in front of the back four and mopping up things masterfully.

On several occasions Coffey has read the next pass expertly and been there to intercept.

Germany having more of the play now and Coffey is increasingly busy as the USWNT are being pinned back.

After a few sustained spells of possession, Germany are growing in confidence a little.

Wingers Buhl and Brand are doing their best to pinch in narrowly when they’re on the ball.

That is causing the USWNT a few problems in midfield and Emma Hayes has been barking orders to her side.

The “triple threat” of Rodman, Swanson and Smith has been getting a lot of love at this Olympics.

And rightly so.

They’ve combined to score eight of the USA’s 10 goals between them and this banner in the crowd is a beauty.

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The USA win the ball on the counter and Trinity Rodman runs at the German defense.

She picks out Rose Lavelle at the back post but her shot is too central and Berger saves.

Germany will be very relieved. That was a glorious chance for the USA.

Lavelle probably should have done better with that strike, but still very positive signs early on and this game is a lot more open than we expected it to be.

As chants of “USA, USA!” ring around the stadium in Lyon, Smith clips a free kick to the back post and Tierna Davidson is all alone.

Her header lacks the power and Berger saves easily.

Decent chance for the USA early on.

USWNT head coach Emma Hayes has been chatting about their approach for this game.

She quite simply said the approach will stay the same. If it ain’t broken, don’t fix it.

“We haven’t had much time to prepare, just time to get refreshed and everybody is very excited,” Hayes said.

That’s right, Emma. We are all extremely hyped for this game.

My word, there are a lot of American fans in Lyon for this one. The Star Spangled Banner is playing and plenty are signing it in the stands.

Plenty of Germany fans are in Lyon too, on a sweltering early evening.

The USWNT are wearing red shorts with their while shirts and socks for today’s game. That actually looks really cool!

Lindsey Horan yells ‘here we gooooooo!’ as the teams walk out of the tunnel. That’s right, Lindsey, it is go time.

Yes, they have, and their record is very impressive overall at the Olympics.

Germany won the bronze medal in three of the first four Olympics, winning bronze in 2000, 2004 and 2008.

They also won gold at Rio 2016, beating Sweden 2-1 in the final.

Germany lost to the USA in the semifinal stage at Athens 2024, 2-1 during extra time as Heather O’Reilly scored the golden goal (remember those!?) winner.

This is the eighth time there has been a women’s soccer tournament at the Olympics.

The USA women’s soccer team has reached at least the semifinal in seven of those eight tournaments.

That means that only once in Olympic history has the USA not been playing for at least a bronze medal. Remarkable.

The USA have won four gold medals at the Olympics, with three on the trot from 2004 to 2012.

Their worst-ever performance was in 2016 in Rio, as they lost in the quarterfinals on penalty kicks to Sweden.

Here is a full look at the USWNT’s Olympic history, with plenty of records set along the way.

It was exactly 10 days ago in Marseille. So, not long.

The USA and Germany have been neck and neck for so long in the women’s game but the USWNT powered past Germany in the group stage, thanks to their incredible forwards, winning their Group B clash 4-1.

Germany did cause the USA plenty of problems though, with a mixture of poor finishing and a great game in goal from Alyssa Naeher given the USWNT a win which looked more comfortable on the scoreboard than it did in reality.

Well, above the USA.

That’s right, the German national team are currently ranked 4th in FIFA’s rankings.

That is one spot above the USA.

In recent tournaments Germany have had really mixed results, reaching the final of the 2022 European Championships where they lost to hosts England in extra time.

They also won the gold medal at the 2016 Olympics in Rio but they also didn’t qualify for the 2020 Olympics and were dumped out of the 2023 World Cup at the group stage.

Interim head coach Horst Hrubesch has done well to steady the ship and get Germany to the final four in Paris, especially given the big injury to influential midfielder Lena Oberdorf which ruled her out of the 2024 Olympics.

Germany have lost both their captain and leading goalscorer to illness and injury respectively.

The German side announced earlier today that captain Alexandra Popp would miss the semifinal “due to an infection” and added that their top goalscorer at this tournament, Lea Schuller, was out with “inflammation of the patellar tendon in her left knee” and would not feature.

Missing these two forwards is a big blow for Germany, who will need goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger to come up big once again.

Germany lineup

Berger; Gwinn, Hendrich, Heggering, Rauch; Brand, Minge, Nusken, Lohmann, Buhl; Anyomi

Wake up and smell the fresh Coffey! Sam Coffey, that is.

The influential USWNT central midfielder is back from her suspension and replaces Korbin Albert is one of two changes from Emma Hayes.

Emily Fox is okay after an injury scare and remains at right back, while the superb trio of Sophia Smith, Trinity Rodman and Mallory Swanson continue in attack.

The good news trend, in terms of team news, has continued for the USWNT with center back Tierna Davidson back from injury and she replaces Sonnett at center back.

USA starting lineup

Naeher; Fox, Girma, Davidson, Dunn; Coffey, Lavelle, Horan; Rodman, Swanson, Smith