USA women’s soccer 1-0 (AET) Japan: Trininty Rodman’s golazo sends USWNT to Olympic semifinals

Two minutes after cutting in from the right wing and lashing a left-footed shot 20 feet high and wide of the goal, Trinity Rodman cut in from the right flank and uncorked another lefty strike. This time, far post, top corner, inside netting. Brilliant, just brilliant.

Sophia Smith did it all herself, chasing and pressing, turning Japan over 25 yards from goal and racing into the penalty area all by herself. She tried to go five-hole on Ayaka Yamashita from six yards out, but the goalkeeper got a leg to it and cleared the danger.

Mallory Swanson destroyed everything in her path when the games were wide open against Zambia and Germany, but struggled to be involved against Australia and Japan, when they defended the USWNT deeper and denied her the space she thrives in.

Williams will give the USA more of a physical presence up top, to play a bit more direct and chase the second ball.

The final 10-15 minutes was, objectively, really good soccer from the USWNT. Tempo typically dips as a team holds 75 percent possession and eventually grows frustrated at the lack of goals. That wasn’t the case for Emma Hayes’ side, despite making no subs in the 90 minutes, instead they ratcheted up the tempo and pressure further.

Surely we’ll see Lynn Williams and Jaedyn Shaw off the bench (early?) in extra time.

It’s one-way traffic at the moment, with the USA stretching the Japanese defense more now and finding even more space on the counter. Trinity Rodman is a constant threat down the right wing, but so far she has just been unable to find Sophia Smith or Mallory Swanson with the final ball.

The last 5-10 minutes have been better from the USWNT, staying patient in possession but now looking for the more direct passes into space in transition moments. Sophia Smith and Trinity Rodman nearly combined for a scoring chance in the 61st minute, if not for a spectacular full-stretch clearance just before Smith could get her foot on the cross.

The opening five minutes of the second half have been all Japan, with Naomi Girma having to make a timely clearance at the back post to deny a tap-in from the Americans’ doorstep.

Japan have managed to not only see a bit of the ball here, but also to push the USWNT back in their own half rather than letting them play straight through. And just like that, we’re even at three total shots and one on target for each side.

Not a vintage first half in Paris.

The USA had so much possession, 78 percent to Japan’s 22.

But Japan actually had some decent opportunities on the counter.

As expected, Emma Hayes and her side will have to be very patient.

Japan’s heavy rotation throughout this tournament seems to be working well for them as they improved and looked more energetic as that first half wore on.

It will be intriguing to see how long it takes Hayes to go to her bench and bring on Williams and Shaw.

Japan have grown into this half.

Mina Tanaka has plenty of space in the box as she turns towards goal and drills a shot on target, but it’s straight at Naeher who saves easily.

USA have just dipped in energy and Japan are starting to have plenty more of the ball.

Meanwhile, Moriya then volleys over at the back post after a well worked Japan attack.

Sophia Smith is played in over the top by Horan and with Lavelle in support she instead decides to smash a shot in at the near post.

Probably not the right decision by Smith there. But given the form she’s been in, she probably deserved to have a pop from there.

Whatever Hayes is shouting to Lavelle tactically is working.

It seems like the USA are trying to pick gaps in-between Japan’s wing-backs and center backs.

Maybe posting this info will work a bit of magic for Rodman to get a chance in this game...

She’s scored twice so far at the Olympics and has nine goals in 42 appearances for the USWNT.

Rodman is extremely dangerous creating chances too and has been a huge threat off the right flank in this tournament.

At one end Japan finally have their first real break of the game.

They get the ball inside the box and try to lay it off for a shot but the USWNT swarm all over them. At the other end Smith crosses and nobody is there. Rodman didn’t make a run into the box.

Seike is looking dangerous with some powerful runs and she wins a free kick right on the edge of the box as Fox brought her down.

The free kick is whipped in to the near post and Fox clears it away. Japan almost got a flick on that to send it goalwards.

TV cameras show Emma Hayes trying to get a message to Rose Lavelle, as it looks like she’s saying to get the ball wide.

Megan Rapinoe is shown in the crowd wearing a baseball cap and sunglasses. She is fired up to be supporting her team in Paris!

The possession stats are very good reading for the USA.

So far, just under 25 minutes in, they have 82 percent of possession. 82.

They’ve yet to carve out a clear chance but Japan are having to work so hard off the ball just to close down the passing lanes.

This is shaping up to be exactly the kind of exercise the USA expected and Emma Hayes is well prepared for this.

Her Chelsea teams usually dominated possession and had to be patient as they kept moving the ball.

Rose Lavelle making some surging runs forward and she plays in a lovely ball to Trinity Rodman.

The forward has a shot inside the box which is blocked.

Every time the USA go forward there is a huge roar from the crowd, most of whom are supporting the USWNT.

Japan are working so hard to shut down the spaces for the USA and so far there isn’t much space in-behind for Rodman, Smith and Swanson.

Japan sitting deep, the USWNT are seeing plenty of the ball and both Horan and Albert are doing their best to get involved.

Horan has a header on goal but she was clearly offside as the cross came in.

As Julie Foudy on co-commentary says, that is the kind of run the USWNT want to see from Horan.

Well, well, well, Jon Champion with a banger of a stat in commentary.

The USWNT vs Japan is the most-played game in the knockout rounds of the Olympics and World Cup in women’s soccer history.

They’ve faced one another eight times in the knockout rounds of huge competitions over the decades.

The most memorable? Either the 2-1 win for the USA in the Olympic final at London 2012, or probably the 5-2 victory in Vancouver in the 2015 World Cup final.

My word, there are a lot of Americans inside the Parc des Princes.

The national anthem was sung loudly and there are huge roars at its conclusion.

That brings a little smile to the face of USWNT head coach Emma Hayes.

I think the number of USWNT fans inside the stadium has even surprised here a little.

This kind of support will be a huge positive for the USA. It will surely give them an extra edge.

Okay, so this is very good news for the USWNT.

Jaedyn Shaw, 19, was injured just before the tournament started and has yet to feature in the Olympics.

The San Diego Wave forward was expected to rotate in for the USWNT’s star forwards during the Olympics, so her return will take some of the workload off them.

How many times have we seen a player that was injured and perhaps not expected to make much of an impact do the exact opposite in a big game? Perhaps today is Shaw’s day off the bench... just throwing it out there.

We talk a lot about the star players on this USWNT side, and rightly so, but how about some love for Emma Hayes?

Coaching in her first major international tournament after taking the USWNT job just a few months ago, Hayes has switched from club management to international management seamlessly.

She has taken exactly the same kind of mentality when it comes to playing style, but it’s also her energy, attention to detail and ability to be flexible during game situations which sets her apart.

The USWNT was drifting and needed Hayes. So far, what a hire she looks like being.

To get us fired up for the Olympic knockout round for the USA women’s side, who remembers when they last won gold at the Olympics?

It was quite a while ago: London 2012.

They were knocked out in the quarters in 2016 and won bronze in 2020, but the four-time Olympic champions (who won three-straight from 2004-2012 and four of the first five tournaments) look like the red-hot favorites to win gold again, this time in Paris.

There will be a huge American crowd in Paris today and it will feel like a home game for the USA in the French capital. C’est magnifique!

Japan have gone with their 3-4-3 system once again, so there’s no surprise there.

Look out for Tanaka and Fujino to drop into midfield and pick the ball up in awkward areas to drag the USA defense out.

Japan continue to rotate their lineup as they’ve gone for a totally different approach to Hayes rolling out her best lineup for every game.

Japan starting lineup

Yamashita; Koga, Kumagai, Minami; Moriya, Hasegawa, Nagano, Kitagawa; Seike, Tanaka, Fujino;

Emma Hayes has only made one change to her starting lineup and that was enforced.

Korbin Albert, who plays her club soccer at Paris Saint-Germain, comes in for the suspended Sam Coffey in midfield.

The thinking behind Hayes not rotating that much during this tournament is all about building chemistry and that has certainly been working in the final third as the USA look so dangerous going forward.

Today they’re going to have to control the tempo in midfield more and be patient. It’s a big day for Albert, but also for the more experienced midfield duo of Horan and Lavelle as the former will likely drop a little deeper.

Another lineup note, teenage forward Jaedyn Shaw is fit and back on the bench which is a boost. Center back Tierna Davidson remains out injured.

USA starting lineup:

Naeher; Fox, Girma, Sonnett, Dunn; Albert, Lavelle, Horan; Rodman, Swanson, Smith