In the wee hours of the morning, the Olympic women's soccer semifinals are in full swing in Beijing. The U.S. and German women's soccer players were engaged in a fierce battle on this green field. With Sofia Smith's shot in overtime, the score was set at 1-0, and the U.S. narrowly beat Germany to return to the final for the first time since 12 years ago.
Dating back to the group stage, sparks flew in the first meeting between the two teams, with the U.S. ultimately smiling on the pitch with a 4-1 victory.
In the semifinal matchup, the U.S. had 64% possession in the first half, with a 7-2 shot ratio, but only a handful of efficient shots on goal, with only one hitting the target, and the two sides ended in a 0-0 draw at halftime.
After the break, the two teams exchanged shots in the second half, with both teams taking six shots on goal, however, Germany's star striker Anjomi unfortunately left the game in the 74th minute with an injury, tilting the scales of the game once again.
In the opening minutes of overtime, the U.S. broke the deadlock quickly as Sophia Smith received a pass from a teammate and fired a pinpoint shot on goal in the 95th minute to make it 1-0, and the lead held. Despite Germany's onslaught from behind, finishing with four shots on goal in the 117th-119th minutes, they were ultimately unable to convert, and the U.S. had the last laugh with a 1-0 victory.
