Sophia Smith is having a great time at the Olympics, thanks in large part to the fearsome front three of the United States team.
Smith, along with Mallory Swanson and Trinity Rodman, are helping the United States restore its reputation as a squad to be feared.
Sophia Smith Contributes To Reborn US Attack At The Olympics
“I feel like we’re clicking pretty nicely and rapidly. “And I believe this is only about 70% of what we can do,” Smith remarked. “I believe that the more games we play together, the more we will be able to play off each other and learn about each other’s habits. But it’s so much joy to play with them.
It’s a stark contrast to last year’s Women’s World Cup, when Smith left the pitch in Melbourne in tears after the United States was knocked out early by Sweden.
Swanson had three goals in France, Smith has two, and Rodman helped the club score their opening goal of the tournament.
Smith scored both of her goals in the Americans’ 4-1 win over Germany on Sunday, securing a berth in the quarterfinals of their first major event under coach Emma Hayes.
The United States, the most successful women’s football team at the Olympics with four gold medals, finished third in Tokyo. Then came the World Cup letdown, and the Americans’ image suffered as other teams caught up.
A loss to Mexico in the CONCACAF Women’s Gold Cup earlier this year contributed to the team’s collapse to No. 5 in the FIFA international rankings, the lowest ever for the United States.
The club was already in transition, expecting Hayes’ arrival in May after she concluded the season at Chelsea. Hayes was hired to lead the United States in November.
“You can see I’m not making any changes to the lineup because you have to build connections,” Hayes said after defeating Germany, ranked fourth in the world. “I think that was my sixth game in charge maybe, so I’m still learning about them, let alone what they’re learning about each other.”
Smith, 23, has made 52 appearances for the national team since her debut in 2020, scoring 22 goals. Under Hayes, she has taken on a more significant role.
“Emma’s main ambition for me is to play in the No. 9 position. “I tend to shift away from the box, but it’s about getting me to stay in there and get those tap-in goals, which I usually score,” Smith said.
Hayes stated that Smith is clearly prospering.
“She’s my type of player,” Hayes remarked. “She contributes to the team, and I believe she is learning as a No. 9 — when to hold, when to stretch, and when to play off of ten.” So coaching her is a lot of fun because she absorbs everything.”
Smith is now in her fifth season with the Portland Thorns of the National Women’s Soccer League. In 2022, she was named the NWSL’s most valuable player as well as the United States Soccer Player of the Year.
Sophia Smith Contributes To Reborn US Attack At The Olympics
She and Swanson have a long history of playing for the same club in Colorado, and Rodman rounds out the group. They account for six of the team’s seven goals coming into Wednesday’s group match against Australia in Marseille.
In comparison, the team scored only four goals in four games at the World Cup.
“I believe we are all similar, but different in our own ways. Obviously, Trin is a flank player; she’s out there and going one-on-one. She’s creative out there, and she makes a lot of stuff for us,” Smith explained. “I believe Mal and I are more important players, interacting with one another and finding gaps in and around the ball. So I feel like we all complement each other in different ways.”
SOURCE | AP
