MARSEILLE, France — Emma Hayes can’t have too many complaints after this one.
The United States women’s soccer team defeated Germany, 4-1, in the second match of group play at the 2024 Paris Olympics on Sunday. And like in the opener against Zambia, the scoring came early and often before the Americans cruised to a relatively stress-free victory with three goals by halftime for the second straight contest.
“It was fun. I actually really enjoyed the game,” Hayes said afterward. “My agent texted me and said ‘I enjoyed it. I bet you didn’t.' I was like ‘No, I really enjoyed the game.’ I liked the tempo. It was (a) high-level game, high-level opponent, high level of tactics … that was a mature performance.”
It was an all-around effort for the U.S. Sophia Smith scored twice, Mallory Swanson punched in her third of the tournament, and Lynn Williams added a late goal to seal the victory. Goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher stood stout in worrying moments and finished with four saves. The U.S. had a slight advantage in shots on goal (8-6) but dominated possession (61%).
But it was Germany that came out inspired and dominated the first nine-plus minutes of the match. In the fourth minute, a bad pass from Lindsey Horan led to a significant German chance and Tierna Davidson – who left with an injury at the end of the half – had to clear from the ground after Naeher made her first stop of the game.
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“We knew there was going to be elements of transition, we knew (it) was going to be a little bit of a chess match,” the keeper said.
The Americans found something early on the right side by letting Trinity Rodman take control and in the 10th minute her cross went into the box with Swanson and Smith both barreling toward the net. Swanson deked. The ball rolled past her. Smith hammered it home with nobody in front of her.
“That first goal felt really good as a team,” Swanson said. “That was a team goal, something that was directly from the training ground into our play.”
Germany equalized 12 minutes later when Giulia Gwinn beat Naeher to the far post. Smith threatened again in the 26th minute and fired a shot. Germany’s keeper initially saved the attempt but Swanson swooped in to clean up the mess and put the U.S. back in front.
“I think we’re finally starting to connect,” Lavelle said. “But I think we know we still have another level in us.”
Smith scored a lucky goal just before halftime on a shot outside the box that ricocheted off a defender and off the right post – finally crossing the goal line – to make it 3-1 before the half.
Lynn Williams, who came on for Smith late, added a goal in the 89th minute of a sweet feed from Swanson.
The Germans kept the pressure on the U.S. in the second half and stayed in the game, to Hayes’ dissatisfaction.
“We were devastating when we needed to (be). We were well-worthy of our lead at halftime,” Hayes said. “There’s still things that irritate me about us, and I say that genuinely, purely because I think we could have controlled it even more. I think we allowed Germany to come back into the game in parts because of our decision-making.”
Germany was without its young star defender, Lena Oberdorf, who suffered a torn ACL less than two weeks ago during Euro 2025 qualifying.
In a tournament in which eight of the 12 teams make the quarterfinals, advancing was never much of a doubt for the USA. But six points should do the trick and winning the group would send them straight to Paris instead of remaining in Marseille should they finish second.
Next up is Australia on Wednesday.
"There’s things I learned about the team tonight – from a character perspective – that I wanted to see – from a resilience standpoint that I wanted to see," Hayes said. "And then there were moments I could see there were lapses, that we have work to do with them players.”
Playing a top opponent, Hayes said she can see all sides of a team. “Which was pleasing,” she added.
Center back Tierna Davidson left just before halftime following a collision near midfield. Hayes subbed in Emily Sonnett for the remainder of the match.
Afterward, Hayes said she had little information and hadn’t spoken to her yet but that she was dealing with a “knock” to her lower body.
Davidson is critical to the United States’ defense and should she miss time would be a massive loss to the defensive shape.
See below the gallery for all the highlights of Sunday's match:
With the game in hand, USWNT coach Emma Hayes made two more substitutions to fortify the defense in stoppage time. Jenna Nighswonger came on for Trinty Rodman, Casey Krueger subbed in for Emily Fox in the second minute of stoppage time.
MARSEILLE, France – Lynn Williams came off the bench and quickly found the back of the net. Four minutes after she entered as a sub for Sophia Smith, Williams took a pass from a charging Mallory Swanson up the middle and used her left foot to add onto the United States’ lead.
Williams is the second-oldest player (behind Casey Krueger) on the roster.
Forward Lynn Williams entered the game for Sophia Smith in the 85th minute, the first big sub of the match. Smith scored two goals in the first half.
MARSEILLE, France – With less than 15 minutes to play, the U.S. head coach has kept her A-team on the field. Against Zambia, a 3-0 win, she emptied the bench in the 65th minute. But she’s taking no risks against Germany
MARSEILLE, France – The Germans have put some pressure on the U.S. in the first part of the second half and have missed two golden opportunities to score.
The first came on a Jule Brand grounder that hit the near post past a diving Alyssa Naeher. Five minutes later, Naeher was beat but a brilliant defensive play by Trinity Rodman – doing it on both sides of the pitch tonight – somehow kept Germany off the board.
U.S. coach Emma Hayes was displeased with the second-half effort in the opener against Zambia and can’t be pleased the Americans are playing on their heels thus far in the second despite the lead.
MARSEILLE, France — This one has been far from boring.
Up-and-down action throughout the first 45 minutes ended with the U.S. up 3-1. Two goals from Sophia Smith and one from Mallory Swanson – her third of these Olympics – were the difference in the first half, in which the Germans controlled the first 10 minutes prior to Smith netting a cross from Trinity Rodman.
Germany equalized at 1 following Smith’s first goal after Lindsey Horan made her second ill-fated pass of the half. Swanson’s putback on a Smith shot that Germany keeper Ann-Katrin Berger initially saved returned the lead into the Americans’ hands.
Smith scored a lucky goal toward the end of the half that perfectly ricocheted off a defender and over Berger’s head, clanged off the post, and rolled over the line for another tally.
The U.S. will be without Tierna Davidson in the second half due to injury; she was replaced by Emily Sonnett.
The U.S. has five shots on goal compared to Germany’s three. They controlled possession for 64% of the half.
MARSEILLE, France — The U.S. will play the second half with a major change to its back line. Tierna Davidson left with an injury following a collision at midfield and Emily Sonnett came on to replace her just before Rose Lavelle’s corner led to Smith’s goal.
Referees added seven minutes of stoppage time to close out the half.
MARSEILLE, France — Sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good.
Sophia Smith scored her second goal of the match by firing one from outside the box. The ball ricocheted off a sliding German defender and over the keeper’s head, before hitting the right crossbar and, ultimately, trickling over the goal line to give the U.S. some breathing room in the 44th minute.
MARSEILLE, France — Call it the Summer of Mal.
Mallory Swanson quickly helped the U.S. retake the lead in the 25th minute by netting a rebound following a shot from Sophia Smith that Germany keeper Ann-Katrin Berger initially saved. But her collision with the ground popped the ball loose. A sprinting Swanson put it in the back and the U.S. was back on top in the action-heavy start to this one.
MARSEILLE, France — This time, a bad pass from the U.S. captain actually led to a goal.
Germany’s Giulia Gwinn beat Alyssa Naeher to the far post as the Americans dealt with an out-of-system defensive stretch, starting with another Lindsey Horan cough-up, that led to the equalizer
Professor Hayes – that would be United States women’s national soccer team coach Emma Hayes – does not grade on a curve, even in her first official match leading the team.
She would probably give her squad an "A" for the first 25 minutes of the USA’s 3-0 win Thursday over Zambia to start Group B play at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
"The first part of the first half was exceptional," Hayes said after the match. "To come out the way we did – the intention, the intensity, the decision-making, the execution, should have been at least five (goals) at halftime."
Two goal-line clearances, including one on a volley from captain Lindsey Horan, helped Zambia keep the U.S. at bay.
But as for the rest of the match, well, the Americans wouldn’t make the honor roll in Hayes’ class.
Germany controlled the first 10 minutes of the match … until they didn’t anymore.
Trinity Rodman found her groove around the right side with two runs that led to crosses through the box. On the second one, a streaking Mallory Swanson – with the ball played slightly behind her – let the pass go through. In came Sophia Smith, who found the back of the open net for an early U.S. lead.
MARSEILLE, France — Disaster nearly struck early for USWNT early.
In the fourth minute, captain Lindsey Horan didn’t realize the backward pass she was about to attempt had a German player waiting for it. Forward Lea Schueller had a golden opportunity but goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher bailed out her teammates with a huge stop.
But the Americans were still in trouble with the ball kicking around the box. Tierna Davidson went to the ground and successfully cleared for the U.S., ending a heart-pumping moment.
The U.S. and Germany kick off at 3 p.m. ET.
USA network is airing the match, and Peacock is live streaming it.
Emma Hayes is dealing with an adjusted bench once again as Jaedyn Shaw, one of the American reserves, appears to be unavailable. Croix Bethune, an alternate, is taking Shaw's place on the bench, as she did against Zambia on Thursday in Nice. Bethune did not play, but Hayes emptied the bench in the 3-0 win.
Shaw is the youngest player on the 18-person roster at 19 years old. Bethune is 23.
Available substitutes: Korbin Albert, Casey Krueger, Lynn Williams, Jenna Nighswonger, Emily Sonnett, Casey Murphy, Croix Bethune.
MARSEILLE, France — Germany’s medal chances took a hit weeks before the Olympic tournament when Lena Oberdorf suffered a torn ACL during a Euro 2025 qualifying match.
The 22-year-old defender made her international debut in 2019 and was a member of Germany’s Euro 2022 squad. During that tournament, she was recognized as the "Best Young Player" and was named to the all-tournament team.
But in the 70th minute of a 4-0 victory over Austria on July 16, Oberdorf collided with an opposing player and the resulting injury cost her the Olympics.
The U.S. is in Group B, along with Germany, Zambia and Australia.
The U.S has won four Olympic gold medals: 1996, 2004, 2008 and 2012.
The USWNT plays again Wednesday, July 31, at 1 p.m. ET against Australia.
MARSEILLE, France — This will be the second time the U.S. will play Germany at the Olympics and the first time it’s happening in group play.
That first Olympic matchup came in the semifinals of the 2004 Athens Games. The Americans won, 2-1, in extra time, and went on to defeat Brazil in the gold-medal match. Heather O’Reilly, then 19 years old, scored the game-winning goal in the 99th minute to push the U.S. past Germany.
It’s the 36th overall international meeting between the teams.
The USWNT is 28-7-4 all-time at the Olympics, including four gold medals, won in 1996, 2004, 2008 and 2012.
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