Not so long ago, in 2011, Japan won the title at the FIFA Women’s World Cup.
A year after that, they played the United States women’s national team in the London Olympics final.
Japan still is rated the No. 7 team in the world by FIFA.
And yet Saturday, in the quarterfinals of the Olympic Games soccer competition, they were content to cede 71 percent possession to the USWNT.
One could say it almost worked, that Japan had several opportunities to first generate the goal that would have broken the scoreless tie and enhanced the pressure on the United States to find a way through that entrenched defense. It didn’t work, though.
It did not because Crystal Dunn played what might have been the game of her life, and because Trinity Rodman scored a goal for a 1-0 victory that assures the USWNT will play for a medal at Paris 2024.
Onto the player ratings:
MORE: Trinity Rodman's goal snaps scoreless tie for USWNT
Starters
Alyssa Naeher (goalkeeper): 7
Japan got a single shot on target, in the 35th minute, and it was directly at Naeher. But it was directly at her because she read it properly. Given how Mina Tanaka had evaded Lindsey Horan at the top of the box to create a clear shooting lane, given how easily that could have resulted in a 1-0 lead for Japan, it counts as an important save. Naeher also had a nice punch on a Japan recycle after Crystal Dunn had broken up a 101st-minute corner kick.
Emily Fox (right back): 7
It was not a pristine performance – her foul at the left edge of the box in the 26th minute was too close to being a penalty and led to a free kick that was worrisome – but she spent a lot of the early game working hard at connecting with Rodman and nearly pulling off some serious moves.
Naomi Girma (central defender): 9
For a while it seemed there’d be no reason to rate Girma at all, because Japan was transacting so little business in the final third. Oh, my, did that change. And she again proved to be up to dismissing everything in her area (and some that maybe was beyond what should have been that boundary). Her best play was an amazing stretch with her leg to reach a floated cross near the top of the box that, left unchecked, could have created an instant opportunity on goal.
Emily Sonnett (central defense): 6.5
In the end, even though Sonnett gifted Japan with one of their most glaring chances, she was part of the unit that assured Japan did not score in 120 minutes. She committed multiple turnovers in the first half, but on the first stood firm to allow a U.S. recovery. She earned a foul in the 42nd minute that ended a Japan break. Sonnett was beaten on the left sideline in the 57th minute and earned a yellow card, but it probably was worth the price given the potential threat that was eliminated. What depressed Sonnett’s rating most obviously was her horrific giveaway in Japan’s attacking half, which allowed Hinata Miyazawa to race toward the goal and fire a hard shot. It was fortunate for the USWNT that attempt hit the side netting.
Crystal Dunn (left back): 10
Dunn was every bit of perfect against Japan. She played probably her best defensive game in a USWNT uniform since the 2019 World Cup semis in France, when she smothered England’s terrific Lucy Bronze. It could take 120 minutes to recite the full list of her essential interventions. Her most important contribution was a valiant deflection on the near post after Rodman was beaten on a give-and-go move in the 51st minute. Eight minutes later, she blocked a potentially dangerous cross without giving up a corner. In the 101st minute, she interrupted a Japan corner kick by owning the near post. And then, two minutes into added time in the first of two extra periods, she spotted Rodman available on the right wing and placed a perfect 40-yard pass into her path. A couple dribbles and a powerful shot later, the USWNT had the game.
MORE: Full schedule for USWNT at Paris Olympics
Korin Albert (midfielder): 6
The price of Emma Hayes’ reckless approach to the relatively meaningless third game of pool play, which exposed defensive midfielder Sam Coffey to a possible yellow card suspension that did materialize, was felt throughout this game. Albert was not confident enough to advance against Japan’s low block; and, to be fair, her teammates didn’t trust her often enough with the ball. Even in added time of the second half, with Japan beginning to feel extreme pressure, nearly every pass Albert made was backward. In extra time, she developed a leg issue and tried to play the ball forward; that was turned into a Japan forward move that led to a corner kick. Once the U.S. had something to protect, her value and performance increased.
Lindsey Horan (midfielder): 5.5
Perhaps the most amazing thing about the USWNT’s position in the semifinals is that they’ve advanced this far with Horan playing substandard soccer. This was her second poor game in the past three. FotMob records her as having completed 82 percent of her passes. But the 18 percent that didn’t connect included far too many dangerous, unnecessary giveaways, such as the occasion in the 44th minute when Fox set her up nicely and she presented the ball directly to a defender, and another in the 68th minute. With the inexperienced Albert behind Horan, this would have been a nice time for Horan to command the midfield. She did create a nice opportunity for Sophia Smith with a beautiful ball in the 30th minute, and she did solid work as the USWNT protected their lead.
Rose Lavelle (attacking midfielder): 6
Hayes struggled to find a way to make Lavelle dangerous with Japan concentrating so much of its lineup in the center of the field. She once again showed her commitment to defending against counterattacks, including one hustling breakup in the 72nd minute that briefly left her limping. She finished the full 90 and wasn’t subbed until the 106th minute, one of the longer workdays Lavelle has logged with the USWNT.
Sophia Smith (forward): 6.5
Smith was dangerous whenever she got opportunities, although that wasn’t often enough for her to waste one of the best of the match on a wild shot in the 30th minute. She fielded Horan’s pass nicely but neglected the opportunity to cross for Lavelle on the opposite post or pull it back to Horan as she charged toward the top of the box. In the 54th minute, after a scary turnover by Albert, Smith dashed in to check the Japan counter.
Mallory Swanson (forward): 5
In the second half, Hayes made a formation change that brought Swanson into the center of the field and sent Lavelle out wide. But Swanson showed no level of comfort attacking from that spot. She also misspent two late corner kick opportunities, one by taking an extra touch that led her to shoot wide of the far post, the second when she blasted Trinity Rodman’s clever back-heel pass well over the goal. She was subbed for Lynn Williams when the game reached extra time.
Trinity Rodman (forward): 9
Even as she began to appear weary, Rodman again rampaged along the right sideline. She was not quite the constant terror she’d been in the group stage, not nearly the threat around the box, but she made a series of great recoveries to interrupt Japan counterattacks, starting in the 14th minute, and again in the 59th minute when her terrific header knocked away a floated cross into the box, and in the 109th minute when she covered Tinaka and allowed a forward ball to roll out for a goal kick. Her sudden stop at the top of the box and backward pass to no one, after Smith had gifted her with a great opportunity, was one moment of disappointment. But we should mention the sizzling goal she blasted in off Dunn’s pass, fielding the ball comfortably, cutting into her left foot and smashing it inside the far post. If the U.S. goes on to win the gold, this will be the pivotal moment.
TRINITY RODMAN TAKE A BOW. 👏
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 3, 2024
THAT IS ABSOLUTELY STUNNING. THE USWNT LEADS IN EXTRA TIME.#ParisOlympics | 📺 USA and Peacock pic.twitter.com/rNlebzAyOo
Substitutes
Lynn Williams (forward): 5.5
Williams’ performance was best summarized by a sequence that began in the 101st minute. Her clearance from the center of the box disrupted a Japan siege on goal that began with a turnover from Korbin Albert that led to a corner kick. But five minutes later, when the U.S. had a chance to break the scoreless draw, Williams’ dreadful decision imploded a promising attack.
Jenna Nighswonger (midfielder): 7
She entered in the 106th minute, after Rodman had broken the scoreless tie, and helped assure the USWNT reached the finish line without conceding a goal.
Casey Krueger (right back): 6
She was in for the celebration!