USWNT Make it to Semifinals, Men Fail Miserably

The game began with loud cheers in a mostly full stadium in a majority Moroccan crowd. When any American touched the ball a cacophony of whistles and boos would erupt from the stands. It was clear that the United States was up against a heavy opponent. 

Morocco dominated with every touch of the ball as the Americans struggled to keep it or bring it up towards the goal. There was an admirable elegance to the way Morocco played, both offensively and defensively. It wasn’t long until the U.S. faltered as Nathan Harriel made contact with Soufiane Rahimi, leading to a penalty that he later scored. 

The second half brought even more problems for the U.S. as a rejuvenated Morocco pounced on any chance the Americans gave them. An almost lost U.S. side couldn’t keep up with the sharper opponent as they scored three more goals, with the fourth being a questionable penalty. 

After a disastrous summer of soccer for the U.S., this loss adds to an already large pile of negativity for the program. Despite decent showings against Guinea and New Zealand, they failed to even score a goal against competition better than them. 

It is important to acknowledge the achievement of the USMNT making it to the Olympics in 16 years, 2008, and the first time they made it to the knockouts of the tournament since 2000. The disappointment comes from a different place though, and it is best said by World Cup veteran Walker Zimmerman: “I think guys need to, every time they put on the jersey, I don’t care how talented you are, you want to play with pride. I think we have the characters to do it, but we don’t always do it.”  

The Japanese national team is known for its strengths of perfecting tactics and skills across the board, making them the toughest team the USWNT has faced in this tournament. With an incredibly defensive setup and structure, Japan truly respected the USWNT’s talent as the two teams battled endlessly for the first half. 

As the game continued, both teams had their moments to shine, striking fear in every fan’s heart. Even if the U.S. did marginally better in the stats, Japan truly threatened them in a way no other team has yet. 

With the game still in a deadlock after 90 minutes, it continued into extra time with two halves of 15 minutes. At this time Japan, while still incredibly defensive, was forced to move forward more to attempt to win the game, giving the USWNt more room to score. Miraculously, in the 107th minute, Trinity Rodman curled the ball into the top left corner for the gorgeous game-winner.  

The USWNT will once again face Germany in the semi-finals after their 4-1 win in the group stages. Despite their previous win, the U.S. must not underestimate Germany, ranked above the USWNT, especially one with a vengeance. The USWNT will face them on Tuesday.

Ayah Al-Masyabi, (she/her) is from Aurora, Colorado, and is an artist, writer and journalist who covers culture and sports. Follow her on Instagram @ayahalmart or YouTube @AyahSoccer. 

Edited by Nykeya Woods