Wow, what a game, right? The U.S. women's soccer team totally killed it and made it to the Olympic final for the first time in over a decade! And all thanks to a clutch extra-time goal by none other than Sophia Smith. They beat Germany 1-0 in a super intense semi-final in Lyon on Tuesday, and now they're just one win away from snagging their fifth Olympic gold. How cool is that?
The match was a bit of a heart-stopper with not a lot of chances to score, but that's what makes it so much better when someone nails it, right? And boy, did Smith come through. Five minutes into extra time, she gently lofted the ball over the German goalie Ann-Katrin Berger's head. It was like poetry in motion after Swanson passed it to her just at the right moment. This win came after they'd already played Germany earlier in the tournament and smoked 'em 4-1, but this time around, it was definitely a tougher battle.
They played like champs, though, pushing through and showing Germany that they meant business. The U.S. team had a bit of a rough patch last year when they didn't do so hot in the World Cup, but they've totally turned it around.
Smith, obviously stoked about the win, talked to NBC and said, "When I saw that open net, I just knew I had to make it happen for the team." She went on to say, "We've had a rough year, but we're all about proving ourselves, and this is a huge moment for us."
Now, they're set to play either Spain or Brazil in the final on Saturday at Parc des Princes. And you know they're gonna ride that victory wave all the way to the big game. Can't wait to see who they go up against and if they can bring home that gold!
