Team USA secured a 1-0 victory over Japan in the women’s soccer quarterfinal on Saturday, advancing to the semifinals.
Washington Spirit forward Trinity Rodman scored the critical goal for the U.S. in the first period of extra time, expertly curling a left-footed shot into the top left corner.
The United States is now set to face Germany, who defeated Canada in Marseille. The U.S. previously beat Germany 4-1 in the group stage. The semifinal match will be held on Tuesday, August 6.
Under new coach Emma Hayes, the U.S. entered the knockout stage undefeated, having outscored their opponents 9-2 at the Paris Games. Despite strong defense from Japan, Rodman’s goal ultimately secured the U.S. victory.
Rodman’s decisive goal came during stoppage time in the first extra period. She celebrated with her teammates after collapsing to the field from the exertion.
This was Rodman’s third goal of the tournament, and she nearly scored again in the second extra period. Her standout performance has been pivotal for the USWNT in their victories.
Among the fans at a packed Parc des Princes were former U.S. women’s national team stars Megan Rapinoe and Mia Hamm, as well as rapper Snoop Dogg.
Emma Hayes, who previously managed Chelsea, was appointed last fall to lead the U.S. team after their disappointing early exit from last summer’s Women’s World Cup.
Japan had two significant scoring opportunities in the first half, with Mina Tanaka’s attempt being stopped by U.S. goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher, and Miyabi Moriya’s shot going over the goal.
Mallory Swanson, who leads the team with three goals in the tournament, had the best opportunities for the U.S. in the second half. However, the team struggled with uncharacteristic errant passes and missed chances.
Rodman’s powerful shot in the 90th minute, following a free kick, was deflected by a Japanese defender and cleared away.
The match reflected a tight encounter between familiar opponents. Japan beat the U.S. in the 2011 Women’s World Cup final, while the U.S. triumphed over Japan for the gold medal in the 2012 Olympic final. The U.S. had won the bronze medal in the Tokyo Games after a semifinal loss to Canada, with Japan falling to Sweden in the quarterfinals.
Additionally, the U.S. defeated Japan at the 2015 World Cup in Canada with Carli Lloyd scoring three goals within the first 16 minutes, leading to a 5-2 victory.
For the quarterfinal match against Japan in Paris, the U.S. made one change to its starting lineup, with Korbin Albert replacing Sam Coffey in the midfield due to Coffey’s yellow card accumulation. Forward Jaedyn Shaw was also available after missing the first three games due to a leg injury.