The United States women’s soccer team will have a chance to add to the program’s dominant history when it plays in the Paris Olympics gold medal match this weekend after a 1-0 extra-time win over Germany in a semifinal game Tuesday.
Forward Sophia Smith led the charge, scoring her third goal of the Olympics five minutes into extra time to give the U.S. a one-goal lead.
She broke past defender Felicitas Rauch and beat German goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger to find the back of the net.
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Germany previously lost 4-1 to the USWNT in the group stage and was unable to to hand the U.S. its first loss of these Olympic Games. The Germans were without captain Alexandra Popp due to an illness and forward Lea Schuller, who was ruled out because of an inflamed right knee.
There were few chances on either side in the opening half, and Germany hunkered down on defense in the absence of Popp and Schuller. Rose Lavelle had a chance for the U.S. early in the game, but her attempt went straight into Berger’s arms.
The second half saw more opportunities for the U.S., but it was Smith’s golden touch in a crowd that helped the U.S. advance.
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Saturday’s match against the winner of Brazil vs. Spain will be a defining moment for the U.S. women’s team.
Despite its four gold medals, the most of any team in the Olympics, the U.S. has missed out on the finals at the last two Olympic tournaments. The U.S. was eliminated in the quarterfinals in 2016 in Rio and relegated to the bronze medal match at the Tokyo Games three years ago.
But the U.S. now has a chance to reclaim the gold for the fifth time in USWNT history.
Brazil was leading Spain 2-0 at halftime.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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