By Nathalia Araújo and Ulrike John, dpa
Record Olympic football champions United States advanced to the quarter-finals at the Paris Games after a 4-1 win against Germany on Sunday.
German Giulia Gwinn in the 22nd minute cancelled out Sophia Smith’s opener but the US retook the lead thanks to Mallory Swanson in the 26th before Smith made it 3-1 before the break.
Lynn Williams’ late effort sealed the win for the four-time gold medallists US, who are seeking a first title since 2012.
With the result, they took the sole lead of Group B with six points and are secured a spot in the next stage.
“It wasn’t necessarily the better team that won, but rather the more effective one,” Gwinn told broadcasters ZDF after the game.
“With us, it was often the case that the final pass, the last shot on goal, didn’t fit. That cost us the three points,” she added.
Germany captain Alexandra Popp expressed a similar viewpoint, adding, “We didn’t play as cleverly as we could have.”
The striker gave the all-clear regarding her knee problems and does not believe her chances of playing in the last group match against Zambia on Wednesday are in danger.
Earlier, Australia claimed a sensational 6-5 comeback win against Zambia in the the second highest scoring women’s game in Olympic history.
The Matildas were 5-2 down after 56 minutes, with Barbra Banda scoring a first-half hat-trick.
But the 2023 women’s World Cup co-hosts scored four goals in 32 minutes, Arsenal midfielder Steph Catley netting twice before Michelle Hayman grabbed the winner.
The highest scoring women’s match at an Olympics also involved Zambia: At Tokyo 2020, they were defeated 10-3 by the Netherlands in the first group game.
Australia are now tied with 2016 gold winners Germany on three points.
Courtesy: DPA
