U.S. women’s soccer team goes for gold after 1-0 semifinal win over Germany

The Paris Games have been a test for Hayes, who came into the job as the team was in desperate need of a change after a brutal 2023 Women’s World Cup exit.

While Swanson is a veteran, Smith and Rodman are both making their Olympic debuts this year and carry the weight of Hayes’ somewhat controversial investment in younger players.

Hayes’ decision to go into the Olympics with a team that has an average age of 26.8 years old has rankled many fans. Notably, the exclusion of Alex Morgan, 35, drew ire as Morgan was one of the team’s leading scorers during its troubled times.

But Hayes has chosen to put the younger players up front — quite literally, given that Smith, Swanson and Rodman are all forwards. There are, of course, still veterans helping to guide the way, such as Horan, 30, Dunn, 32, and Lavelle, 29.

Horan has led the way as team captain, displaying the importance of experience, especially in the semifinal, as Germany imposed havoc on the field.

Lavelle, in particular, has played excellently throughout the Olympic tournament, covering the pitch relentlessly in her midfielder role. She told reporters after the last game against Germany that the players were finally beginning to connect as a team.

“We’re playing with more structure and discipline, and then I think we’re having fun, too,” she said.

Fans will be looking to see whether the women can continue their momentum after a long tournament as they move into the gold medal match Saturday. It’s undoubtable that the starting roster is most likely exhausted, as Hayes has put on few substitutions these last two weeks. The U.S. is also going into the final after having played back-to-back overtime games.

The American squad hasn’t lost a single game at the Olympics. The only other time the U.S. women have gone undefeated at the Olympics was in 2012, which was also the last time they won gold.