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The U.S. Women’s National Team’s quest to reach the top of the podium at Paris 2024 continued in thrilling and dramatic fashion with a 1-0 extra-tie victory over Japan 1-0 in a tense and tight quarterfinal on August 3 at famed Parc des Princes.
After more than 105 scoreless minutes in the French capital, forward Trinity Rodman broke through with a spectacular strike to send the Americans through to the Olympic semifinal.
Facing Japan for the seventh time in the knockout rounds at a world championship event, the U.S. held nearly 80 percent possession and dominated the ball in the opening half, but was kept in check by a compact and organized Japanese defense.
The stalemate continued after intermission and although both teams created a few chances, neither was able to break through and the match headed to extra time locked in a scoreless stalemate.
Facing extra time for its third consecutive time in an Olympic quarterfinal, the U.S. finally broke through in the dying moments of the first extra time period. Veteran defender Crystal Dunn drove a ball over the defense, finding a wide open Rodman on the wing. The 22-year-old attacker brought the ball down, raced into the box and cut the ball back against Japan’s Hikaru Kitagawa before unleashing a perfect left-footed blast into the upper-left corner of the net.
It was Rodman’s third goal of the Olympics, following scores against Zambia and Australia, and it marked the latest goal the USWNT had scored in the Olympics since Alex Morgan’s goal in the 120+3 against Canada in the 2012 Olympic Semifinal. The 22-year-old Rodman became the youngest player to score for the USWNT in an Olympic knockout round match since 20-year-old Lindsay Tarpley scored in the 2004 gold medal match.
The U.S. stymied Japan’s attempts to equalize and recorded its second clean sheet of the tournament while improving to 7W-1L-2D all-time at the Olympics in extra time matches. The victory secured the USA’s spot in the Olympic semifinal for the seventh time in eight trips to the Olympics and the 15th time in 17 total appearances at world championships.