So far, so good for the USWNT — Updates from Lyon
The IX: Soccer Monday with Annie Peterson, Aug. 5, 2024
LYON, France — Greetings from Lyon! So far we’ve been to Nice, Marseille, Paris and now Lyon for a semifinal match on Tuesday between the United States and Germany. This tournament moves fast but the scenery is nice.
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The USWNT advanced with a 1-0 extra-time victory over Japan in the quarterfinals. There was nearly a US-Canada semifinal but alas, the Germans prevailed on penalty kicks after a scoreless draw with Canada on Saturday night in Marseille.
And thus ended Canada’s truly eventful run in the Olympics. The defending champions got caught up in a drone spying scandal before the tournament even started. They were docked six points in the group stage, fined and coach Bev Priestman was suspended for a year.
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The plucky Canadians, who won all of their group matches, put up a fight against Germany, but then ran into Ann-Katrin Berger, Germany’s amazing goalkeeper who we’re lucky to see in the NWSL with Gotham.
Berger stopped two Canadian penalty attempts then made her own to put Germany in the semis.
Afterward, Canada’s players seemed just mentally and physically exhausted.
“I can’t quite find the tears because I shed them all this past week,” Canada defender Vanessa Gilles said. “So to have gotten this far, I think is a testament to our group.”
Canadian forward Janine Beckie said: “It’s been a strange couple of weeks. But I’m going to leave tonight so much prouder of this team than I ever have been.”
And finally captain Jessie Fleming: “It will definitely be a bit of a comedown after after this tournament. Yeah, just need a break.”
The United States got through with a tough extra-time victory over Japan. Forward Trinity Rodman was the hero with the lone goal of the match in stoppage time of the first extra period.
Rodman has really proven herself in this tournament. it as her third goal in France, tying her with teammate Mallory Swanson for the most on the team.
“That was a beautiful goal and she deserves it. She is such a great player, but most of all, she is a fantastic human being,” U.S. coach Emma Hayes said afterward.
Hayes said Japan’s defensive prowess was expected.
“They’re exceptional,” Hayes said about Japan. “Their block is the best in the world at doing that, in terms of the way they shift, the way they step, the way they read the rotations. They work their socks off.”
In the other semifinal, Brazil will meet World Cup winners Spain.
Women’s World Cup winner Spain eliminated Colombia on penalties after a 2-2 draw — another long and tense match in a day of long and tense matches. Spain can become the first team to win Olympic gold after a World Cup title.
Spain meets Brazil in the semifinals. Playing without Marta because of a red card in the group final, the Brazilians beat France 1-0 to advance.
Marta may not be back for the semis for her final tournament. There were reports that FIFA (which controls soccer at the Olympics) imposed a two-game suspension because of the tackle that earned her the red.
Regardless, she’ll still have a final game in France. If Brazil beats Spain it’s off to the gold medal match. Lose and there’s still the bronze medal match.
Like last week, there’s just so much women’s soccer content out there it feels weird to just post game summaries here. So here are a few of the non-game-specific stories I saw this week.
Dustup in Australia over column calling the Matildas “pampered”
Tony Gustavsson stepped down after the Olympics
Nice story from The Athletic’s Chantel Jennings on Canada’s exit being both a loss and a win
France and the quarterfinal curse
Here’s People magazine’s big reveal: Christen Press and Tobin Heath are dating!
Speaking of Christen Press; She’s back!
Mak Whitham debuts for Gotham, youngest pro in a major league
Jess Carter leaves Chelsea for Gotham
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Q+A with Trinity Rodman
What Rodman had to say after the match:
Question: What happened on the goal?
Rodman: “I like, kind of blacked out. That’s like the best moment in my career. Again, I hope that gets topped. But Crystal, I could see that she was looking for that stretch run and I honestly think that was the only way that we were going to find a goal in that game. Obviously, we had tried all game long to get in the schemes and get in between them and it wasn’t working. So she played it behind. I think she just bought a little, little, little chop and then banged it up. It just bobbled a little, I did a little chop and bagged it upper 90. I couldn’t have asked for anything better, I’ve very happy about it.”
“The last thing I remember is like Crystal playing it, and then I was just like, Ahhh! So, yeah. But once the game was over, then I was like, Oh, that’s what happened.”
Question: Was it really that frantic in your head?
Rodman: “In the moment, I don’t think it was. But reminiscing on it when I was walking back, I was like, what just happened?”
Question: Have you ever been this hot [in a groove] before?
Rodman: “Our team is so great and I keep saying this, but we want to just keep improving and I think that’s what we’re doing. And being around so many players and staff that want to improve every single day is helping me be my best self, be my most confident self.”
“I didn’t start the game the way I wanted to, I wasn’t having the best touches. So to get that goal and to get that confidence back in a moment where I didn’t have it majority of the game, was good.”
Question: But has Emma helped you, or put you in a different position?
Rodman: “I think Emma’s just obviously really intelligent and she wants us to thrive the way that we always have, and and I think that’s something that she embeds; and the way that she teaches is she doesn’t want to change anybody’s style. She wants everyone to be creative in their own ways and she lets that happen while also trying to put her structure and her principles sprinkled in there. But allowing us to play free I think has been extremely successful for this team.”
Question: What did you think about the first 90 minutes and trying to break them down?
Rodman: “I think it’s inevitable to play games like that, and we talk about a lot — [that] not all soccer is pretty soccer. I think we kind of knew that it was going to come down to something brilliant, if it came from me or anybody else on the field, we knew that it wasn’t going to be Tiki-taka in the box.
So, yeah, it was one moment that we had to capitalize on.”
“I think it’s just in the moment, understanding what you’re going against. And we knew we were going to go against Japan who had a low block and those aren’t always the funnest games to go against when you want to just attack and 1-v-1 all the time. So yeah, I think it’s just living in the moment and understanding who you are.”
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| By: Annie Peterson, @AnnieMPeterson, AP Women’s Soccer |
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