The past week in women’s soccer was an absolute joy to witness. The USWNT brought home the gold medal, Brazil won silver, and Germany won bronze. Looking forward, the NWSL will return with a plethora of new additions thanks to the August transfer period. Additionally, the U20 World Cup is coming up! Keep on reading for this week’s women’s soccer news.

 

High of the Weekend 

 

Pics that go hard: pic.twitter.com/yVwOm0Fylp

— U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team (@USWNT) August 11, 2024

The USWNT won their fifth Olympic gold in a solid 1-0 win over Brazil. From exiting the 2023 World Cup at the earliest in team history to taking home the gold hardware in Paris, this team’s journey over the past year is nothing short of incredible. In her short time as head coach, Emma Hayes has completely transformed the squad, and they were an absolute joy to watch throughout the Olympics, earning a well-deserved gold medal at the end. 

One highlight of the tournament was the self-proclaimed “triple espresso”–the energetic trio of Trinity Rodman, Sophia Smith, and Mallory Swanson. It was none other than Swanson who netted her fourth goal of the tournament to win the final for the USA. 

 

Low of the Weekend

Anson Dorrance, one of the most accomplished coaches in…

The USWNT is one win away from redemption and clinching the Olympic gold medal. Their opponent is a familiar foe who no one expected to get here. Brazil pulled off a shocking 4-2 upset over Spain despite having 25% possession during the game. It’s safe to say you won’t find many results in the history of soccer where a team will score four goals and have minimal possession of the ball. Yet, Brazil’s finishing has been on point throughout the tournament, and they’ve done it without their legend Marta. For the United States, it’s been an arduous path to the final with another extra-time win, but it doesn’t have to be pretty. It’s all about surviving and advancing. With everything on the line, let’s dive deeper and preview the USWNT vs. Brazil gold medal match. 

 

USWNT vs. Brazil: Saturday, August 10 at 11:00 AM ET/8:00 AM PT, USA Network, Peacock, Telemundo

Twice before Brazil reached this stage at the Olympics, the USWNT thwarted them. 2004 and 2008 featured Marta as the centerpiece of their squads, but now the next generation of Brazil has stepped up in a big way. After Marta was shockingly shown a red card against Spain in the Group Stage and suspended for two games, Brazil pulled off two huge upsets.

Seleção fended off the hosts, France, in the…

LOS ANGELES, August 8, 2024 – Girls Soccer Network is thrilled to announce that IDA Sports will be the official sponsor of “the Big Life” podcast for the second time. The highly anticipated third season of the podcast, hosted by Sam Cary and Jordyn Wickes, is set to return this back-to-school and back-to-soccer season, launching on August 8 and running throughout the fall. 

This renewed sponsorship is part of a NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) deal that directly benefits the hosts, Sam Cary and Jordyn Wickes. IDA Sports, renowned for its innovative women-specific cleats, aligns perfectly with the podcast’s mission to uplift and support female soccer players. “The team at IDA are like family at this point. It’s always fun and satisfying working with them but the thing that’s the coolest is seeing how the brand has continued to evolve in both innovation and style. We’re happy they continue to sponsor our NIL soccer podcast series, ‘the Big Life,’ and look forward to kicking off this ‘back-to-soccer campaign with them,” said Jen Gruskoff, CEO of Girls Soccer Network. 

In this upcoming third season, Sam and Jordyn will delve into a variety of topics, including the expanding Big Ten, the latest developments in college soccer, and Sam’s personal journey…

Spend a few hours off the pitch with your favorite athletes and experts to hear insightful analysis, recaps, never-before-heard stories, and cultural commentary on women’s soccer. These nine podcasts offer a unique and diverse range of perspectives on the sport, so grab your headphones and get listening!

 

Laughter Permitted with Julie Foudy

Hosted by two-time FIFA Women’s World Cup champion and Olympic gold medalist Julie Foudy, Laughter Permitted features conversations from women’s sports trailblazers and legends to discuss personal stories and experiences, where guests share their journeys, challenges, and triumphs in women’s soccer.

 

Full Time with Meg Linehan: A show about women’s soccer

Hosted by Meg Linehan and Tamerra Griffin of The Athletic, this podcast covers all aspects of women’s soccer, from the NWSL and USWNT to international leagues and tournaments. Linehan and Griffin also “tackle the culture, context, and conversations about the sport,” according to their Apple Podcast overview.

 

Diaspora United

Hosted by Courtney Stith and André Carlisle, Diaspora United focuses on the experiences of Black women in soccer, both in the United States and abroad. The podcast provides insightful analysis and commentary on current events and issues…

In a rematch from the Group Stage, the USWNT will take on Germany in the semifinals at the Olympics. The first matchup could not have gone better for the United States with a resounding 4-1 win over the Germans. Now, with the stakes at an all-time high, they’ll have to defeat Germany again in order to make it to the Gold Medal match. Surely, the Germans will be more prepared this time, and we can expect a much more competitive result. Here’s my preview of the USWNT vs. Germany in the Olympics semi-final. 

 

USWNT vs. Germany Tuesday: August 6 at 12:00 PM ET/9:00 AM PT, USA Network, Peacock, Telemundo 

Both sides had to survive some tough matches in the quarterfinals to get here. Japan, as expected, made life difficult for the United States. While the United States was dominant in the first half, Japan started to create chances and grow in confidence throughout the second half. Each team had chances, but nothing was clear-cut, and most shots were either saved easily or missing the goal by quite a wide margin. 

Trinity Rodman ended up providing a moment of magic to win the game for the United States. A lovely cut inside onto her left foot opened it up for her to bend the ball into the top corner. Rodman’s work on her left foot has been incredible and it went from…

In this week’s women’s soccer news, we saw a ton of exciting Olympic action, with the USWNT advancing to the semifinals and still on the hunt for a bit of redemption from the last World Cup. A legend made her return to the field with Angel City and one of the greatest players to ever do it still has a chance in the Olympics. Here’s what you need to know about women’s soccer this week. 

 

High of the Weekend 

The USWNT took on Japan in the Olympic quarterfinals, and had their work cut out for them because of Japan’s super-organized defense. The match remained scoreless and went into overtime. An incredible ball in from Crystal Dunn met the foot of Trinity Rodman, who beat her defender and took the shot to give the USWNT the 1-0 win. 

 

Low of the Weekend

 

Emily Fox is IN TRAINING after a late knee-injury scare against Japan pic.twitter.com/55biMf47iC

— Women’s Transfer News (@womenstransfer) August 5, 2024

During the dying minutes of the USWNT’s quarterfinal match, Emily Fox suffered an injury to her knee and was taken out of the game. It’s tough to see a top defender go down with an injury, but all looks to be okay after she was seen in team training on August 5. 

 

News of the Weekend 

 

#AngelCityFC announces the…

The USWNT’s Group Stage performance at the Olympics was almost flawless. Three wins in three matches with nine goals scored, and two goals allowed indicates this team is getting the job done in all areas of the pitch. Now, there have been a few hiccups defensively. All three of their opponents had good chances to come back into their respective games. Especially Australia, who nearly tied the game in the last minute of stoppage time. As long as Alyssa Naeher and Naomi Girma maintain their high level of play, they should be enough to get the USWNT to the medal rounds. Here’s how their three games in the Group Stage at the Olympics went down. 

 

USWNT vs. Zambia- 3-0

As expected, the USWNT was dominant against Zambia. Their poor finishing from the two previous friendlies carried over into the first 15 minutes of this match. The Stars and Stripes hit the bar twice and missed numerous chances before Trinity Rodman finally ended the drought in the 17th minute. The “Trin Spin,” as it’s been called, was a beautiful move and finish that opened the floodgates.

 

The US are bullying Zambia but this is a special Trinity Rodman goal #uswnt

pic.twitter.com/7hrdhW2dAP

— Justin Horneker (@hornekerjustin) July 25, 2024

Mallory Swanson added two more goals just a minute…

The Women’s Olympic games on Sunday were out of this world. Every single game was a thriller with unexpected results in each game. Based on how the USWNT played against Germany and how Spain played against Nigeria, the United States should now be the clear favorite for Gold. As for the Matildas, they somehow came back from 5-2 down in the second half to win 6-5 in one of the greatest games played in Olympic women’s soccer history. The Matildas need at least a point to secure one of the two third-place spots to advance into the quarterfinals. The United States is already through to the next round and may sit some starters in the process. Here’s my preview of the USWNT vs. Australia. 

 

USWNT vs. Australia: Wednesday, July 31 at 1:00 PM ET/10:00 AM PT on USA Network, Peacock TV, Universo

Embed from Getty Images

The USWNT’s finishing against Germany was as ruthless as it gets. This is the version that no team in the Olympic field wants to see. Germany didn’t have a bad game, either. Julia Gwinn’s long-range goal was a thing of beauty, and they had a few great chances that Alyssa Naeher foiled brilliantly. Yet, this is the offense we’ve been waiting to see from the USA. Those three first-half goals took the life out of Germany and essentially ended the game….

The Olympics are here, and the world’s top soccer talent is on display! The USWNT beat Germany, winning both of their group-stage matches, while Canada is dealing with a huge spying scandal. Barbra Banda is having another stellar tournament, scoring her third Olympic hat trick. Spain’s stars, Alexia Putellas and Aitana Bonmatí, are also shining in the team’s first-ever Olympic games. Keep on reading for the week’s best women’s soccer news!

 

High of the Weekend 

In the most joyous performance fans have seen in years, the USWNT beat Germany 4-1 on Sunday. The attacking trifecta of Trinity Rodman, Sophia Smith, and Mallory Swanson proved extremely effective this game, helping score the first three goals. Plus, Lynn Williams subbed on to score a fourth. 

The team performed well against the No. 4 ranked team and has qualified for the Knockout Stage!

 

Low of the Weekend

 

JAEDYN SHAW OUT FOR USWNT VS GERMANY

The 19-year-old forward remains unavailable for the US due to a muscle strain. Alternate Croix Bethune will take her place in the 18-player roster once again. Shaw’s Olympic debut will have to wait a bit longer.

@USWNT pic.twitter.com/wufvUsbpN9

— The Women’s Game (@WomensGameMIB) July 28, 2024

Jaedyn Shaw remains ineligible to…