MARSEILLE, France (July 31, 2024) — The U.S. Women’s National Team will enter the Olympic quarterfinals with three victories in three matches and a tournament-leading nine goals scored following Wednesday’s 2-1 win against Australia. Forward Trinity Rodman tallied her second of the Olympics and midfielder Korbin Albert notched the eventual match-winner with a brilliant strike from distance as the USA held back a late surge from Australia to claim three more points and the top spot in Group B.

The USWNT have now won all three group-stage matches for just the second time in eight Olympic appearances. It happened previously in 2012. Those Games ended with a gold medal win over Japan and this tournament will continue with a quarterfinal against the same opponent on Aug. 3 in Paris.

Head coach Emma Hayes’ squad has yielded just two goals in the competition and has been sparked by the next generation “Triple-Edged Sword” of Rodman, Sophia Smith and Mallory Swanson. One of those three forwards has scored or assisted on every U.S. goal up until Albert finished off the Australians late Wednesday.

An Olympic medal run requires a taxing six games in 17 days, but Hayes preferred maintaining her team’s momentum as the group stage concluded, making only one change to the lineup that started the first two matches. Center back Tierna Davidson was sidelined with a leg contusion and Emily Sonnett took her place alongside Naomi Girma. Hayes’ remaining 10 players remained constant and faced the challenge of breaking down an Australian side that was determined to defend knowing that a draw would be good enough to see them through to the quarterfinals.

Australia played a very low block with five players on the back line, two players sitting right on that line and three attacking players that did not pressure the U.S. backs, daring the USA to find a way through. Australia didn’t come out of its shell until the USA had the lead, but a stoppage time goal was too little, too late for the Matildas.

The USA had a massive edge on possession but did not get frustrated despite Australia’s defensive tactics. One negative was an early yellow card to midfielder Sam Coffey, her second of the first round, that will rule her out of the quarterfinal.

The USA created chances despite the Aussie blockade and Rodman hammered a 10-yard shot at Australia goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold in the ninth minute. Left back Crystal Dunn challenged Arnold with a long-range bid in the 38th and captain Lindsey Horan came agonizingly close to breaking the deadlock with a short-range header a couple minutes later.

With halftime approaching and the USA’s possession nearing a staggering 80 percent, the aggressors finally broke through. Rodman created a corner kick off a shot that Arnold parried over the crossbar. Midfielder Rose Lavelle’s subsequent delivery was flicked at the near post and then met by Smith at the far end. Her header bounced back down toward the right upright and Rodman raced forward to put the ball over the line in the 43rd minute.

It was Rodman’s second goal of the tournament and Smith’s second assist. Both young stars scored or set up a goal in each of the USA’s three group-stage matches.

Needing a goal go through, Australia was a bit more adventurous in the second half. Forward Hayley Raso took the Matildas’ first shot on target in the 53rd minute, but U.S. ‘keeper Alyssa Naeher made a comfortable save. With first place and the quarterfinals in sight, Hayes made multiple changes after the game passed the hour mark, removing Rodman, Lavelle and right back Emily Fox. The USA would eventually outshoot Australia 21-7 and allowed just two shots on goals for the Matildas.

Lavelle’s replacement, Albert, soon became the first American woman to score her debut international goal at the Olympics. Smith sent a pass into the right channel that was cleared back toward Albert, who was standing at the top of the penalty arc. The 20-year-old Paris Saint-Germain midfielder took one touch and then rocketed an unstoppable shot into the upper left corner.

Australia, in desperation mode, finally found a bit of attacking rhythm as regulation time expired and halved the deficit with an alert six-yard finish from veteran defender Alanna Kennedy, who pushed up into the forward line in search of a goal. But the USA held on and Australia was left to wait for late results to determine its tournament fate.

Saturday’s quarterfinal at the Parc des Princes in Paris (9 a.m. ET / 3 p.m. local) will mark the fifth time the USWNT will meet Japan at the Olympic Games. The Americans won a quarterfinal in 2004, a group stage game and a semifinal in 2008, and then the gold medal game at London’s Wembley Stadium four years later. Naturally, the rivalry is best known for the pair of memorable Women’s World Cup finals contested between the sides. Japan came from behind and then defeated the USA on penalties in the 2011 decider in Frankfurt. The Americans exacted revenge in 2015, winning, 5-2, in Vancouver and claiming their third championship star.

The USA is 31W-1L-8D against Japan all-time, with the lone defeat coming at the 2012 Algarve Cup. At this Olympic tournament, the Nadeshiko (2W-1L-0D), who currently are ranked seventh by FIFA, finished second in Group C following an opening loss to world champion Spain then impressive wins over Brazil and Nigeria. Six different players have tallied Japan’s six goals in France.

The USWNT has fond memories of the Parc des Princes, having won twice there during the perfect run to the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup crown. After beating Chile, 3-0, in the group stage, the USA ousted host France with a 2-1 quarterfinal triumph.

The winner of the USA-Japan quarterfinal will move on to an Aug. 6 semifinal in Lyon against either Germany or the Group A runner-up.