One year ago Sophia Smith missed a penalty kick in the 2023 World Cup, today it is her game-winner that sent the USWNT to the Olympic gold match
Smith missed a penalty kick in the 2023 World Cup, but one year later her game-winner sent the USWNT to the Olympic gold matchFive minutes into extra time of Tuesday's Olympic semifinal against Germany, Smith scored her third goal of the tournament, and in the process sent the U.S. women’s national team to the Gold Medal match.“I saw like a little opening of net and I was just like, ‘I’ve got to put it there.
The things learned in moments of anguish seemed to have turned into moments of triumph later on. Some of it Smith learned as a kid growing up in Fort Collins, Colorado. Smith wasn’t named to the team’s roster at the Tokyo Olympics, which meant the 2023 World Cup was her first major international tournament. After a standout 2022 that included 11 goals in 17 national team appearances, Smith entered 2023 poised for a breakout tournament at the World Cup. In the team’s first game against Vietnam, she had a brace while also providing an assist in the 3-0 win. But those were her first two goals of the year, and she wouldn’t score again in that tournament.
"A lot of us individually have our own lessons, as a team we have lessons that we took from it," she told ESPN’s Futbol Americas, referring to the 2023 World Cup disappointment. “But me personally, I moved on from that. It's part of life. It's part of being an athlete and it was a great experience to feel those feelings look back but you don't want to feel that again and I think now it's just about looking forward.
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