The Paris Olympics wrapped up over the weekend, with the USWNT reclaiming their place atop the major tournament mountain after earning their fifth gold medal on Saturday. USWNT forward Mallory Swanson scored the game’s lone goal in the 57th minute to lead the team to their eventual 1-0 win over Brazil. 

The US never trailed at the 2024 Olympics and became the first women’s team in tournament history to record shutouts through all three knockout rounds.

Second-half adjustments secured USWNT win

Brazil looked the better of the two teams in the first half, bypassing the USWNT’s midfield to pressure their backline with probing, vertical play. Recent Chicago Red Stars signing Ludmila spurred chaos among the USWNT defense, striking what would have been the game’s opening goal if she hadn’t been ruled offside.

The US held fast to a 0-0 scoreline at the half, then worked their way back into the match. A well-weighted pass from Korbin Albert ultimately split Brazil’s defense and slotted Swanson in on goal.

USA’s World Cup rebound streak kept alive

…

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 Paris Olympics wrapped up over the weekend, with the USWNT reclaiming their place atop the major tournament mountain after earning their fifth gold medal on Saturday. USWNT forward Mallory Swanson scored the game’s lone goal in the 57th minute to lead the team to their eventual 1-0 win over Brazil. 

The US never trailed at the 2024 Olympics and became the first women’s team in tournament history to record shutouts through all three knockout rounds.

Second-half adjustments secured USWNT win

Brazil looked the better of the two teams in the first half, bypassing the USWNT’s midfield to pressure their backline with probing, vertical play. Recent Chicago Red Stars signing Ludmila spurred chaos among the USWNT defense, striking what would have been the game’s opening goal if she hadn’t been ruled offside.

The US held fast to a 0-0 scoreline at the half, then worked their way back into the match. A well-weighted pass from Korbin Albert ultimately split Brazil’s defense and slotted Swanson in on goal.

USA’s World Cup rebound streak kept alive

…

The Paris Olympics wrapped up over the weekend, with the USWNT reclaiming their place atop the major tournament mountain after earning their fifth gold medal on Saturday. USWNT forward Mallory Swanson scored the game’s lone goal in the 57th minute to lead the team to their eventual 1-0 win over Brazil. 

The US never trailed at the 2024 Olympics and became the first women’s team in tournament history to record shutouts through all three knockout rounds.

Second-half adjustments secured USWNT win

Brazil looked the better of the two teams in the first half, bypassing the USWNT’s midfield to pressure their backline with probing, vertical play. Recent Chicago Red Stars signing Ludmila spurred chaos among the USWNT defense, striking what would have been the game’s opening goal if she hadn’t been ruled offside.

The US held fast to a 0-0 scoreline at the half, then worked their way back into the match. A well-weighted pass from Korbin Albert ultimately split Brazil’s defense and slotted Swanson in on goal.

USA’s World Cup rebound streak kept alive

…

Anson Dorrance, whose 21 NCAA championships are the most by a head coach in any Division I sport in college athletics history, is retiring after 45 seasons directing the women’s soccer program at the University of North Carolina.

Dorrance informed Director of Athletics Bubba Cunningham of his intention to retire on Friday, Aug. 9, and told the team Sunday afternoon.

The Tar Heels open the regular season on Thursday, Aug. 15, at Denver. Associate head coach Damon Nahas will lead the team this season as interim head coach. Cunningham will direct a national search.

“As many of you know I modeled our program after Dean Smith’s basketball program, and retiring at this time is a credit to his thinking, as well,” says Dorrance. “He would re-evaluate his tenure, not after the season, but after he had time to recharge his batteries prior to the next season. When he didn’t, he retired. After last season I initially was excited about the chance to bolster our roster, which we most certainly have done, but as preseason training camp went on, I realized I didn’t have the same energy it takes to give 100% to this year’s team. The players and staff, the university, Carolina…

Marta waves to the crowd after being presented with her silver medal during the women’s football medal cermony at the Paris 2024 Olympic at Parc des Princes in Paris, France. (Photo Credit: Ane Frosaker / SPP)

PARIS — Shortly after the United States women’s national team won the gold medal match at the 2024 Paris Olympics on Saturday Aug. 10, the medal-awarding ceremony took place. The winners of bronze, Germany; silver, Brazil, and gold, the US, lined up on a makeshift podium on one end of the field and received medals, one-by-one, as the announcers read out their names.

Players like Alexandra Popp from Germany and Mallory Swanson of the United States, who scored the game-winning goal to clinch the gold medal, received notable applause. But the crowd, made up almost evenly of U.S. and Brazil fans, roared loudest together for one player – Marta. 

Marta Vieira da Silva, the 38-year-old Brazilian phenom who plans to retire from international soccer at the end of the year, has led a monumental career that will be…

United States defender Emily Fox (2) battles for the ball against Brazil forward Ludmila (14) in the gold medal match during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at Parc des Princes (Photo Credit: Yukihito Taguchi-USA TODAY Sports)

Throughout the Paris Olympics soccer tournament, the front three of the United States women’s national team have shouldered the responsibility of providing the decisive touch to secure their victories. This final was no exception, with Mallory Swanson netting the winning goal for the Americans in the second half against Brazil capping off what has been a high quality Olympics.

As with the previous matches, this game proved challenging for the Americans, with their opponents identifying and attempting to exploit weaknesses but ultimately failing to capitalize on their opportunities. Despite the tough competition throughout the tournament, Emma Hayes’ side once again emerged victorious.

The U.S. had quite a few positives but also their share of negatives in this game. In truth, we might have seen a…

Goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher and forward Mallory Swanson hug after winning in the women’s soccer gold medal match during the 2024 Paris Olympic Summer Games (Photo Credit: Michael Madrid | USA TODAY Sports)

The U.S. women’s national team arrived in Paris with its eyes on a gold medal and after six grueling games in 16 days, the young American team walked away with just that.

The Olympic champion USWNT emerged victorious on Saturday, leaving Marta and a talented Brazilian side with silver once again. It was forward Mallory Swanson, in her 100th cap for the USWNT, who sealed the 1-0 win for the Americans. The 26-year-old striker found the back of the net 57 minutes into the frenetic finale at the Parc des Princes in Paris, her goal ultimately standing as the game winner.

The shutout marks just the second time an opponent was held scoreless in a gold medal match—the first coming in 2008 when the U.S. last faced Brazil in the final game of an Olympic tournament. The two teams also faced off for gold in 2004 in Athens, with Team…

Photo Copyright Ane Frosaker for SPP

Always the bridesmaid, or always the bronze, whichever way you look at it, Germany has cemented itself in that third-place spot at the Olympics.

On Friday, the Germans won their fourth Olympic bronze medal defeating Spain 1-0. Although it was their first bronze since 2008, the team has virtually had a lock on that position winning it every cycle from 2000 to 2008 before finally breaking through and winning gold in 2016. 

It marks a return to form for Germany, who failed to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics and failed to advance out of the group stage at the 2023 World Cup. In six Olympic appearances, the team has won five medals. Their first Olympic appearance in 1996 was the only one where they failed to medal. 

“We had some injuries, we had some infections, we had everything,” Germany goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger told Olympics.com. “The belief from the coach [Horst Hrubesch] that every single person can actually do the job — I think that’s why we won the bronze…

Photo Copyright Jessica Alcheh for USA TODAY Sports

Inside the Challenge Cup “bubble” of 2020, something bigger than soccer was happening off the pitch in the National Women’s Soccer League.  Between practices and games, Black players were having conversations with their teammates, trying to find the right words to explain why they were kneeling during the national anthem, why they were using their social media platforms to call for change, and the difficult realities of being Black in the NWSL — all on their own.

“In 2020 when we were protesting for Black Lives Matter, it was hard with some of the players, especially for those in the Black Women’s Player Collective who were the only Black players on their teams, to feel like they had a voice or were being listened to by their club and teammates,” Mandy Freeman told The Equalizer.

These hard but necessary conversations spurred important change in the NWSL, but what became clear is that the players faced a significant burden in trying to educate their…