Women's Soccer

PARIS — Germany will face the United States in the semi-finals of the Olympic women's football tournament, while Spain will take on Brazil after a frenetic day of quarter-final action marked by late goals and plenty of shootout drama on Saturday.

Defending champions Canada's rollercoaster ride at the Games ended with penalties heartbreak after a 0-0 draw with Germany in Marseille, with goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger saving twice and scoring the winner to send "Die Nationalelf" through.

An incredible Trinity Rodman goal vs Japan in extra time of the Olympics quarterfinal saved the United States women’s national team in a poor showing on Saturday.

The USWNT were untouchable in the group stage sweeping Zambia, Germany and Australia while scoring a team record nine goals in the three games.

Saturday was a drastically different performance as head coach Emma Hayes deployed an exhausted side that were off the pace and tremendously struggled to break down Japan’s defense which utilized a brick wall 5-4-1 defense.

Thursday night was special for Angel City FC as they welcomed back United States women’s national team icon Christen Press for the first time in two years.

An ACL injury and four surgeries have kept Press off the field since the knee injury she sustained during a game in June 2022. 

Press’ cameo on Thursday was brief as she came on in the 88th minute, but it didn’t take anything away from the emotional and amazing return of a USWNT great.

Christen Press returns

United States women’s national team head coach Emma Hayes started the same players in midfield (Lindsey Horan, Rose Lavelle and Sam Coffey) for all three Olympic group stage games. The USWNT midfield will change for the quarterfinals.

Hayes made a risky decision for the group stage finale against Australia and started Coffey plus Trinity Rodman despite the two players already having a yellow card in the tournament. A second yellow would mean they miss the quarterfinals.

Defending champions Canada reached the quarter-finals of the women's Olympic football tournament on Wednesday thanks to a 1-0 win over Colombia in Nice hours after they had an appeal against their six-point deduction dismissed.

Colombia also booked their spot in the knockouts on Wednesday, along with France, Germany, Japan and Brazil, but Australia missed out.

Wednesday's results set up some tantalizing last-eight ties with Canada taking on Germany, the U.S. playing Japan, Spain facing Colombia and France playing Brazil, with the quarter-finals being held on Saturday.

Korbin Albert scored her first-ever international goal on Wednesday as the United States women’s national team defeated Australia 2-1 to make it a perfect nine points from the group stage.

One moment that fans will heavily discuss is the goal from Albert who came on as a second half substitute and scored a screamer from outside the box in the 77th minute to double the USWNT’s lead. 

Korbin Albert goal vs Australia

UPDATE: The USWNT's 2-1 victory vs. Australia means that Brazil advance and will play France in the quarterfinals.

A Marta red card vs Spain during Brazil’s group stage finale in the 2024 Olympics saw the women’s soccer icon exit the field in tears. Spain won the game 2-0.

The 38-year-old is playing in her SIXTH Olympics for Brazil, however it was hardly the fairy tale ending she hoped for. In stoppage time of the first half Marta had a dangerous challenge on Spain’s Olga Carmona.