Key events
Germany lineup
Goalkeeper: Ann-Katrin Berger (Gotham FC)
Defense (left to right): Felicitas Rauch (North Carolina), Marina Hegering (Wolfsburg), Kathrin Hendrich (Wolfsburg), captain Giulia Gwinn (Bayern Munich)
Midfield (left to right): Klara Bühl (Bayern Munich), Janina Minge (Freiburg), Sydney Lohmann (Bayern Munich), Jule Brand (Wolfsburg)
Forward: Nicole Anyomi (Eintracht Frankfurt), Sjoeke Nüsken (Chelsea/ENG)
Three of the starters – Rauch, Minge and Anyomi – were originally alternates. Germany are missing Alexandra Popp (ill) and Lea Schüller (knee tendon inflammation). Lohmann slides into Popp’s center midfield place. Anyomi replaces Schüller.
Berger was superb in the win over Canada and even took the clinching penalty kick herself before a sedate crowd of 12,517 in Marseille, which must be distracted by all the sailing delays. The bad news: Germany managed only one shot on target. And now they’re facing Naomi Girma and a returning Tierna Davidson.
According to The Guardian’s list of the top 100 female footballers in the world, Popp is 6th, Lena Oberdorf 16th, Bühl 72nd, Merle Frohms 81st, Lina Magull 97th. Frohms is available as the backup keeper. Bühl is playing. The other three players on that list are not. Oberdorf is out with a knee injury.
On paper, this is not a team that should challenge the USA. But again – it’s Germany.
US lineup
Let’s all gaze upon US Soccer’s elegant lineup announcement, then take note of what’s new today:
The Semifinal XI vs Germany 🇺🇸 #USWNT x @Visa
Lineup Notes ⤵️
— U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team (@USWNT) August 6, 2024
Note the name Tierna Davidson. The center back returns from injury today (by the rules of the Olympics’ painfully short rosters, Emily Sams returns to the reserve list), and Sam Coffey is back from suspension. They both go straight back into the starting XI, which means versatile defender/defensive mid Emily Sonnett and center mid Korbin Albert will be potent options off the bench.
In case you need more detail on these players:
Goalkeeper: Alyssa Naeher (Chicago)
Defense (left to right): Crystal Dunn (Gotham FC), Tierna Davidson (Gotham FC), Naomi Girma (San Diego), Emily Fox (Arsenal/ENG)
Midfield (defensive to less defensive): Sam Coffey (Portland), Lindsey Horan (Lyon/FRA), and Rose Lavelle (Gotham FC)
Forward (left to right): Sophia Smith (Portland), Mallory Swanson (Chicago), Trinity Rodman (Washington)
After Albert enjoyed a trip to Parc des Princes, her “home” stadium at Paris Saint-Germain, Horan gets a turn playing at her home of Lyon.
The Olympic results feed posits this as a 4-5-1 with Smith running alone up front while Swanson and Rodman flank Lavelle in midfield. They move fluidly – you’ll see Rodman on the left or Swanson all over the place at times – but that seems a stretch.
Preamble
Welcome to a game that may be seen as a referendum on legendary English manager Emma Hayes but is really more of a challenge to the US women’s soccer team’s vaunted frontline, which seems to have dipped in productivity since ripping four goals past Germany and starting the search for a nickname as cool as “the triple-edged sword,” the tag given to the women who lit up the first-ever Women’s World Cup in 1991.
Points given (or credit in this commentary) to anyone who can name the three players who earned that nickname.
More importantly, this game will determine whether the USA or Germany will play for gold.
Though the USA took a 4-1 decision in group play, and Germany labored past Canada with a 0-0 draw and a penalty shootout win (by Germany? Who’d have thought?), no one will be taking this game lightly. The US women have some injury concerns, and … well … it’s Germany.
Beau will be here shortly. In the meantime, here’s how the US got here:
The United States women’s national team under new broom Emma Hayes are two wins from a record-extending fifth Olympic gold medal, after a Trinity Rodman wonder strike in extra time broke open a tightly contested quarter-final with Japan that failed to catch fire until the final reel.
The women’s football tournament at these Paris Games should at least begin to determine whether the Americans’ torpid 46-month run under the departed Vlatko Andonovski will be remembered merely as a flop period or, as a practically salivating global football establishment have openly manifested, a permanent regression from the class of perennial favorite.
The jury remains out but early returns are promising. Hayes, the former Chelsea manager who took the reins two months ago, has guided the US to four wins in her first four meaningful games. Held to only four goals in as many games during last year’s World Cup washout, the Americans smashed in nine on a perfect run through the Olympic group stage. The wait for a 10th on Saturday afternoon was an often uncomfortable one, but its arrival brought Hayes’ squad within touching distance of the podium.
“It was very tactical,” Hayes said. “That’s why I liked it so much. It was a match of grit and determination. It was decided by one moment of brilliance.”
You can read the full report below: