The USWNT’s record remains perfect after two matches of Olympic group play, taking down Germany 4-1 on Sunday in a performance that put the rest of the field on notice.
Sophia Smith scored a brace while Mallory Swanson and substitute Lynn Williams added individual tallies to give the US their biggest win over Germany since 2010.
USWNT set to advance to Olympic knockouts
The win guarantees the USWNT a place in the quarterfinals with one group stage match still to play, a feat only mirrored by reigning world champions Spain after a wild second day of Olympic women’s soccer action.
A win or a draw against Australia on Wednesday would see the US finish atop Group B, though the team’s +6 goal differential could also land them in first even if they lose. Along with their goal differential, the USWNT leads the field in scoring with seven goals in their first two matches.
Rising above European soccer expectations
The US entered Sunday as a slight underdog, facing a higher-rated team in the FIFA rankings for the first time since 2015. However, the US found the back of the net first on a well-worked attacking sequence that featured a goal by Smith, an assist by Trinity Rodman, and a savvy dummy move by Swanson.
Germany then equalized on a nicely orchestrated strike from outside the box by Giulia Gwinn, but the US piled on the goals to end the half. Swanson scored on a ball deflected by German keeper Ann-Katrin Berger, and Smith benefitted from a heavy deflection just before halftime to make it 3-1.
The US managed to keep the momentum flowing through the second half, an effort punctuated by Williams’s second career Olympic goal in the 89th minute.
Elsewhere in the Olympic soccer tournament
Colombia leads on goal differential in Group A after defeating New Zealand 2-0, while embattled defending gold medalists Canada kept their Olympic dreams alive with a dramatic 2-1 victory over host country France.
Japan bolstered their hopes of advancing from Group C with a comeback 2-1 win over Brazil, while Spain took hold of their destiny with a 1-0 win over Nigeria.
Australia notched a four-goal comeback to win a wild match against Zambia 6-5, one that saw Zambia striker Barbra Banda become the all-time leader in Olympic women’s soccer hat tricks with her third.
Who does the USWNT play next?
Next up, the US squares off against Australia on Wednesday, July 31st at 1 PM ET, with live coverage across NBC networks.
