U.S. women’s soccer team finishes Olympics group stage sweep with 2-1 win over Australia

The U.S. women’s soccer team finished off a sweep of its Olympics group stage Wednesday with a 2-1 win over Australia, powered by goals from Trinity Rodman and Korbin Albert.

It’s the first time the Americans have swept a major-tournament group stage since the 2019 World Cup, and the first time they’ve done it at an Olympics since 2012 — the last time the Americans have won each of those events.

We’ll start to learn if history is repeating itself on Saturday, when the U.S. plays perennial foe Japan in the quarterfinals in Paris (9 a.m., USA Network, Telemundo 62, Peacock).

It’s a matchup with immense history. The teams contested the finals of the 2011 and 2015 World Cup and 2012 Olympics and have been regular sparring partners ever since, including a 2-1 U.S. win in Atlanta in April.

Paris’ fabled Parc des Princes is where the U.S. played two games on the road to its 2019 World Cup title: a group-stage rout of Chile on Father’s Day, and a quarterfinal knockout of host France in one of the great games in women’s soccer history.

These days, the Parc is where Albert plays her club soccer for Paris Saint-Germain. U.S. captain Lindsey Horan also knows it well, having turned pro with PSG as a teen phenom 12 years ago.

» READ MORE: The U.S. women’s soccer team is Lindsey Horan’s to lead now ahead of the Paris Olympics

U.S. manager Emma Hayes surprisingly kept her starting lineup nearly intact for the team’s third game in seven days. Emily Sonnett was the only new starter, coming in at centerback because of Tierna Davidson’s knee contusion suffered in the last game vs. Germany.

Alternate defender Emily Sams moved up from the alternates list to the game squad, and attacking midfielder Croix Bethune once again was on the game squad with Jaedyn Shaw still out because of a leg injury.

The lack of rotation bit the U.S. early when Sam Coffey drew a yellow card for a foul in just the third minute. It was her second booking of the group stage overall, meaning she’ll be suspended for the quarterfinal.

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After that, the U.S. grinded its way through the first half in Marseille against an Australian group that set out in a defensive 5-2-3 formation. The Matildas were content to jam as many players behind the ball as possible, a far cry from their valiant play on home turf at last year’s World Cup — or their 6-5 thriller against Zambia on Sunday.

The Americans’ eighth shot of the half finally went in the net, a scrappy toe poke by Rodman off a corner kick play. But it came with its own drama: Coffey was in an offside position, even though she didn’t touch the ball. That prompted a judgment call on video review, and when referee François Letexier went to review the play, the communication system wasn’t working.

Fortunately, it was fixed quickly enough, and when Letexier checked the monitor, he let the goal stand. (If his name sounds familiar, it is: he refereed the men’s European Championship final a few weeks ago.)

» READ MORE: U.S. women’s soccer team kicks off Olympics with 3-0 win over Zambia

Hayes made her first substitution at halftime, a left back swap of Jenna Nighswonger for starter Crystal Dunn.

Rodman figured to go at some point, since she was also on a yellow card, but it didn’t happen until the 65th minute. Hayes made a triple move then: Lynn Williams for Rodman, Casey Krueger for Emily Fox at right back, and Albert for Rose Lavelle in midfield.

Albert picked up her own fast yellow card, on her first action of the game in the 67th. Ten minutes later, she slammed in the game’s second goal. It was Albert’s first national team goal, and she became the first U.S. women’s player to score her first national team goal in an Olympics.

Bethune was the last U.S. substitute to enter, replacing Mallory Swanson in the 79th.

Kennedy scored Australia’s goal at the start of stoppage time, and while it caused a brief scare, the U.S. was able to see the game out.

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Japan finished second in Group C, and reigning World Cup champion Spain topped it with a 2-0 win over Brazil. Athenea del Castillo and Alexia Putellas scored the goals, but the headline was Brazilian legend Marta drawing a red card for a high kick to Spain’s Olga Carmona in the last seconds of the first half.

It was a necessary call but a dreadful sight: possibly the last act of Marta’s career at a major tournament. The 38-year-old playmaker will retire from her national team at the end of this year, after six Olympics and six World Cups.

The world now waits to see if Brazil can advance past Tuesday’s quarterfinals. But even if it does, there’s ample precedent for Marta to be suspended an extra game for violent conduct.

At least Brazil is still alive. Canada’s 1-0 win over Colombia to finish Group A saved the Seleçao, and vaulted the Canucks over Australia on goal difference — despite Canada’s six-point deduction for a drone spying scandal that saw manager Bev Priestman and two assistants expelled from the Olympics.

Canada appealed the deduction to the global Court of Arbitration for Sport, but it was upheld on Wednesday and that was that.

With the two best third-place finishers across the tournament advancing, Australia was the odd team out. Coincidentally, Wednesday was the one-year anniversary of the Matildas knocking Canada out of the World Cup it cohosted with a 4-0 rout.

Host France beat New Zealand, 2-1, in the other Group A finale to clinch first place. Canada was second on the goal-difference tiebreaker over Colombia, which also advanced. (Canada was allowed to keep its scoring totals amid the points deduction.)

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The top two teams in each group and the two best third-place finishers advanced.

1. France, 6 points (2-1-0); 2. Canada, 3 (3-0-0, 6-point deduction), +3 goal difference; 3. Colombia, 3 (1-2-0), 0 GD; 4. New Zealand, 0 (0-0-3)

1. United States, 9 (3-0-0); 2. Germany 6 (2-1-0); 3. Australia 3 (1-2-0); 4. Zambia 0 (0-3-0)

1. Spain, 9 (3-0-0); 2. Japan, 6 (2-1-0); 3. Brazil, 3 (1-2-0); 4. Nigeria 0 (0-3-0)

All times listed are Philadelphia time. TV listings are subject to change.

All games are Saturday.

9 a.m.: 1B. United States vs. 2C. Japan at Paris (E!, Telemundo 62, Peacock)

11 a.m.: 1C. Spain vs. 3A. Colombia at Lyon (E! joined in progress, Universo, Peacock)

1 p.m.: 2A. Canada vs. 2B. Germany at Marseille (Telemundo 62, Peacock)

3 p.m.: 1A. France vs. 3C. Brazil at Nantes (Universo, Peacock)

Both games are Tuesday.

Noon: United States or Japan vs. Canada or Germany at Lyon (USA Network, Telemundo 62, Peacock)

3 p.m.: France or Brazil vs. Spain or Colombia at Marseille (E!, Universo, Peacock)

Aug. 9, 11 a.m.: TBD vs. TBD at Paris (USA Network, Telemundo 62, Peacock)

Aug. 10, 11 a.m.: TBD vs. TBD at Paris (USA Network, Telemundo 62, Peacock)