USA v Germany: Olympic women’s soccer semi-final goes to extra-time – live | Paris Olympic Games 2024

106 min: Collision, foul, same thing. Swanson takes a minute to get up, perhaps disappointed that her breakaway chance was snuffed out.

But she’s back up to press the German defense. She should consider entering the marathon after this.

Kári Tulinius: “Berger hesitated just as she got to where Rausch and Smith were struggling for the ball, and that gave the attacker a gap to aim for. The German have defended near perfectly all game, but that was a costly mistake from the goalkeeper.”

Fair point.

Before that, from the same correspondent: “I know that Hayes can’t sharpen Smith and Rodman’s play in the final third in just a couple of months, but I’d expect her to at least encourage others to try their luck, even if just to make the opposition uncertain. As it is, the American attack is very predictable, making things easy for the German defense.”

Also a fair point. Williams has been startlingly invisible so far.

Michael Staples: “Women’s football is evolving and proof will be in leaving the Americans Germans behind, the Americans had the best system when nobody else had a system.”

To rephrase – women’s football has grown to the point at which several teams are on the USA’s level in a given year, and like Brazil’s men, the US women won’t win the big prize every year.

I’d point out, though, that Germany absolutely had a system 21 years ago when they destroyed the USA in the World Cup with superior tactics.

Brian Fuller:

I agree with you and your colleagues on the referee message board that persistent infringement has literally disappeared from the game. Several years ago, when it had become a significant focal point of FIFA, it was a pleasure to see a player receive a card for multiple simple fouls like late attacks on opposing players’ Achilles tendons, or repeated jersey pulls or other tugs.

In both the recent EUROS and COPA, I am fairly certain I did not see a single card issued for it. The COPA, in particular, was SO poorly officiated in general, with a significant number of games played with either too many fouls without equivalent cards issued, or too few fouls called altogether. A huge amount of that would have been easily remedied by enforcing persistent infringement.

While I am complaining, modern referees seem to be under direction to not issue cards too easily. I certainly have always believed that the first yellow card in a game sets the tone of control over excessive physicality and overly aggressive play. Calling fouls and issuing cards establishes the boundaries of play on the field, AND protects the players. The sloppy manner with which this is often done currently is a disservice to the game.

Thanks for your live updates! They are the best way to follow when livestreams or other viewing are unavailable.

I live off of Guardian’s live updates during the TdF…

As do I.

Extra time midway point: USA 1-0 Germany

105 min: Corner kick to Germany. Complex movements in the penalty area.

Then an effort at an Olimpico! Naeher has to stretch up to punch the ball away before it swings into the top of the net.

One minute of stoppage time.

104 min: Cautious US possession now as we draw nearer to the break.

Then a CHANCE, and how did Sophia Smith miss? Nighswonger puts the ball over the top, and Smith is one-on-one with Berger. The shot she scored on was so much more difficult that this opportunity, though replay shows how well Berger did to stretch a leg to it.

103 min: Rodman seems to feel another goal is coming. She tees herself up for a shot that fizzes over the bar.

102 min: Albert shows her industry in midfield. Whatever Hayes did to get the team to accept her after her social media transgressions, it has paid off.

Nüsken holds two US jerseys at once. That’s impressive if not legal.

100 min: Girma is simply superb. She rushes across the field to shield a ball out of play. A simple play, but she just seems one step ahead of everyone, mentally and physically, at all times. She has a good case for player of the game, as does Swanson.

If it stays this way …

99 min: Swanson will take the corner because she’s now playing eight positions at once. It sails past everything.

98 min: I see mail coming in – I’ll get to it in the extra-time break.

Germany seem shocked by the goal. Here comes Swanson again. She plays to Rodman, who tries a cheeky shot that gets deflected for a corner.

So as I was saying, of course Emma Hayes was making all the right decisions. Never a need to bring in Jaedyn Shaw. That’s what I said, right?

Gooooooaaalll! USA 1-0 Germany (Smith 95)

93 min: Swanson’s exertion level today is astronomical. She’s on the right flank at midfield with it now.

Germany gain possession, and Bühl takes on Fox one-on-one. Her shot goes through Fox’s legs but right at Naeher.

92 min: Rodman with a speculative cross. Not a terrible idea.

Swanson wins the ball and seems to be the only one moving on the field, but she gets weak contact on her shot from 22 yards.

92 min: Lohmann is the player Germany have taken off.

It’s a passive, wary start to extra time for both sides.

So Jaedyn Shaw remains on the bench. She’s inexperienced, sure. She might not be fully fit – but if she’s not, why wasn’t she replaced on the roster by alternate Croix Bethune?

Subs: Elisa Senss on for Germany.

Emma Hayes brings on two subs – Korbin Albert for the captain Horan, Jenna Nighswonger for … Crystal Dunn? That can’t be!

Full time: USA 0-0 Germany

90 min +5: Dunn commits a foul at midfield, awarded on a long-delayed whistle.

Germany take their time with this one, trying to make it uncomfortable. For the USA.

It’s headed to Naeher for the easy save, but she bobbles it before collecting.

90 min +4: Dunn faces down a defender, almost finds space and ends up getting a throw-in.

Do they have anyone who can throw it 40 yards? Wasn’t that a thing in women’s soccer for a while? Remember the flip throw?

90 min +2: Horan wins the ball and slams it forward. Not a bad idea if they could catch Germany unaware, but they don’t.

Rodman again with it. She makes a smart choice and sends back to Fox, then to Girma.

90 min +1: Rodman tries to force a pass.

USA regain the ball. Fox to Rodman to Coffey, floated into the area.

Back to Dunn, to Sonnett, to Fox, nice run and she’s possibly fouled, ball into Williams, and the US forward commits a foul.

90 min: Germany may have had the better of play from halftime until the 80-minute mark or so, but I think the USA have turned the tide. I’d still be very wary of a counterattack.

Five minutes of stoppage time will be played.

89 min: Rodman finds Swanson, but Swanson is too close to the end line for an effective cross.

The world broadcast feed shows us the graphic of the alleged moment the ball was passed to Swanson before she put the ball in the net, and she’s offside by two or three yards. Not sure we needed that.

88 min: I almost wonder if Emma Hayes believes her side have the advantage in extra time. That would explain the lack of substitutions.

Ball is played down to Swanson on the left, and her cross is almost on target.

Lynn Williams lobs the ball into the middle of the penalty area, and Berger has to get through traffic to punch clear.

This is better from the USA.

87 min: And indeed, Swanson was off. That was a very short VAR review if one was taken at all.

86 min: The ball is in the net, but Swanson was almost certainly offside.

Good finish, though.

85 min: Germany hold the ball 35 yards from their goal. Slight bursts of US pressure.

They start to break, but Swanson brilliantly comes back to win the ball, then unbrilliantly passes too far ahead of Smith.

83 min: Joe Pearson writes: “Regarding Foudy’s comments about mistreatment of the athletes, frankly it’s been a theme at this Olympics. No air-conditioning, bad food, making them swim in a poop-filled river. It goes on and on. All spectacle, no respect.”

I’ll share that with her. She’ll appreciate it.

A rather ambitious passing attempt from Germany there.

82 min: Freigang down the right, centers, back to Freigang, someone’s probably offside there, the ball is centered again, but guess who’s there?

And NOW the flag goes up.

82 min: Smith is knocked down. The referee plays advantage – and given the USA’s lack of danger from free kicks, it’s a beneficial call. But Horan takes too long to tee up her shot.

80 min: The USA win a throw-in and hold the ball for an eternity. Patience almost pays off as Smith ends up with the ball. Her shot is deflected back to Rodman, whose one-timer is well-held by Berger.

The USA’s shots haven’t been sure goals by any means, but with a lesser keeper, the game might indeed be at least 1-0 by now.

79 min: CHANCE FOR THE USA, as the ball is kept alive off the corner kick, and Horan gets a decent header on frame and away from Berger’s body, but the capable German keeper is able to make the save.

78 min: Hegering remains down. The crowd has started what is often incorrectly called a “Mexican wave.” It’s a wave.

Bibiane Schulze Soriano replaces Hegering.

Would the USA bring on Jaedyn Shaw? Is she healthy?

76 min: And enough with the whistling. Use your words.

Rodman turns on the right and wins a corner. Not bad work there.

Hegering, who blocked the cross, is down and may also have a cramp. As a reminder, Germany are short-handed at this point – though another way of looking at it would be that they’ve brought in alternates who are well rested.

75 min: Bühl dribbles 20 yards undisturbed by a US midfielder, then dishes to a teammate who is easily dispossessed. There’s some whistling as if a foul occurred. I don’t think it did.

73 min: Germany work the ball around the top of the penalty area, and Minge shoots from 22 right around hand height for Naeher. Maybe not the best option available.

Have I mentioned the USA might want to shore up central midfield? Maybe?

73 min: Should Hayes leave Rodman in the game because she can, like Jude Bellingham, be ineffective for all but five seconds that change the course of the game? And unlike Bellingham, she’s a very effective two-way player?

Or should she sub in … wow, not many options.

72 min: Rodman has the ball again and crosses into nothing again.

The ball pings around to Smith, whose shot through traffic deflects off Lynn Williams, who’s standing in front of her.

71 min: Now Horan, playing in her professional home of Lyon, wins the ball 25 yards out. The attack is promising until Rodman passes into two German defenders.

On her day, Rodman is one of the best attackers the USA have had in a long while, which is saying a lot. This is not her day. She still tracks back very well, of course.

70 min: I’ve received an email that’s too long to read while Germany attack again, then win possession in central midfield. Nüsken bails out the USA by fouling Horan.

68 min: I’ll repeat from the Japan game, though, that the USA played smartly against Japan by simply maintaining possession without running too much.

But Hayes will need some subs here. Germany just brought on Laura Freigang for the ineffective Anyomi. Again, I’ll say Korbin Albert needs to be on the field now.

67 min: Anyomi races alone down the right flank as Dunn is caught elsewhere. She crosses, which is huge mistake because the USA have, I’ll say again, the best center back in the world in Naomi Girma, who’s right there.

Anyomi falls to the ground with an apparent cramp, and Naeher sportingly helps her stretch before trainers arrive and everyone takes an unofficial hydration break.

66 min: Champion and Foudy are belaboring the stress of the Olympic tournament, with many games compressed into a couple of weeks and some unusual travel involved. They’re not wrong, and the biggest issue is the roster size. Having 18 players and four alternates is simply absurd.

63 min: While injured and tired players are tended to, here’s a comment from Matt Turner:

Regarding your halftime pet theory, I think it has some validity. My daughter is part of an NWSL academy and their matches against local opposition are frequently one-sided, to the point they are attempting to play against the boys in the upcoming season. But this is why clubs now travel all over the U.S. in the ECNL (Elite Club National League) in order to find more difficult competition. This works, but it also contributes significantly to the pay-to-play problem in this country, with travel costs going into the thousands of dollars each year. Maybe in a country as large as the U.S. you’re damned either way?

Also, if you have 20 chances and only take 2 of them how do you beat an opponent 10-0?

Because the team as a whole gets 100 chances.

The problem with the ECNL is that there are also other leagues that have top teams, so a good club from Loudoun County can fly to Florida to play games that are no more competitive than they would find in Arlington. And so on.

US Soccer needs a unified youth soccer structure. But their lawyers are already busy fending off lawsuits from, say, a dormant league with a lawsuit that persists for no reason other than vengeance.

62 min: CHANCE FOR THE USA, by far the best of the game. Girma plays it ahead to Swanson, who gets around Berger and … hits the side netting. Might have opted to pass.

The flag was apparently up, but we haven’t seen a replay, and I seriously doubt she was offside.