Win over Dutch puts U.S. in semis

YOKOHAMA — The U.S. soccer team promised it could flip the switch. The players swore that the lackluster performance we saw in group play was an aberration. That, now into the knockout round, they would know how to respond.

Did you doubt them?

“You aren’t surprised, come on,” said Megan Rapinoe, who clinched Friday’s quarterfinal victory over the Netherlands in a penalty kick shootout. “This is who we are.

“This team never quits, even when we’re playing like s— or playing great or playing in the middle.”

In group play, that’s pretty much how their three games broke down: yuck, good, meh. For the first time in their history, the Americans had been held scoreless in two groupplay games. The whispers about age and the questions about the coach were getting loud.

But, on Friday against the Netherlands, even though there were issues of timing (four more goals disallowed for offsides) and possession, the U.S. team did what it does best. Win and move on.

“This team is not used to losing, not used to even having a bad game,” said Vlatko Andonovski, who is coaching in his first major tournament. “It’s not easy to handle that pressure and bounce back.”

By defeating the Netherlands, the same opponent they vanquished in the 2019 World Cup final, the fourtime Olympic gold medalists and fourtime world champions are back in a familiar place. In the semifinal, one step away from a shot at another title.

That’s different from five years ago in Rio, when the Americans were ousted before the medal round for the first time in their history. This team is trying not only to erase that memory but also to become the first in history to complete the rare championship double: backtoback World Cup title and Olympic gold.

The U.S. team will take on northern neighbor Canada in Monday’s semifinal, their first meeting in a major tournament since a thrilling extratime semifinal at the London Olympics — the last time the Americans won gold.

Friday’s star was the team’s softspoken goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher, who played her best game since taking over from former starter Hope Solo. Usually not required to do much but keep a steady hand around the net, Naeher came up huge late in the game.

She saved a penalty kick in the 81st minute. After regulation ended in a 22 tie, she stopped a pointblank shot from brilliant Dutch striker Vivianne Miedema, who set an Olympic record with 10 goals in this tournament, in the 103rd minute.

And then, in penalty kicks, Naeher was the difference. In cavernous International Stadium, site of the 2002 World Cup final between Brazil and Germany, she could hear her teammates yelling encouragement. She saved the first shot, by Miedema, and the fourth. All four Americans — Rose Lavelle, Alex Morgan, Christen Press and, finally, Rapinoe — coolly made their shots.

“Those two saves, it takes the pressure off the team,” Rapinoe said. “It’s immense. It gave all of us shooters a ton of confidence.”

Andonovski has been criticized in recent days for his tactics, but his strategy paid off in a big way Friday.

In a surprise, he inserted Lynn Williams, who grew up in Fresno and played at Pepperdine, as a starter. Williams, playing in her first ever major tournament, only made the team as an alternate. But when rosters were expanded for outdoor team sports, she became eligible to play.

After the Dutch jumped to a 10 lead, Williams and longtime Carolina Courage teammate Sam Mewis connected for two quick goals. First, Williams juked a defender to find her former roommate Mewis in front of the goal and Mewis headed in the score. Just three minutes later, Mewis headed the ball back to Williams, who kicked it in to give the U.S. its first lead.

“This team thrives under pressure,” said Williams, who added she was shocked to get the start. “Myself, I had nothing to lose. I came as an alternate. I was just excited to do what I can.”

Andonovski started the same lineup for the second half, and the Dutch tied the score on another Miedema goal. That was when he made substitutions. The four players he brought on in the second half were the four who took the penalty kicks.

But it was Naeher who truly made the difference, in her biggest performance ever with the national team.

“I’ll leave that to you guys,” she said when asked if she would describe it that way. “I just want to help my team win a gold medal. I was proud of what I was able to do to get one step closer to that goal.”

And to put the U.S. team back in its familiar spot. Did you ever doubt it?