Swanson knew Smith was offside. But Swanson wasn’t.

“I was like, `Don’t touch it! Leave it, leave it leave it!’” Swanson said. “And then it was on me to put it away.”

With that 57th-minute goal, the U.S. women’s soccer team won its fifth Olympic gold medal by beating Brazil 1-0 in the tournament final Saturday at the Paris Games.

The Americans, who hadn’t won gold since the 2012 London Olympics, closed out an undefeated run to the title in their first international campaign under new coach Emma Hayes.

And they have Colorado to thank for it.

The golden feet of Coloradans Swanson, Sophia Smith and captain Lindsey Horan did much of the damage. After her game-winner on Saturday, Swanson finished the tournament with four goals and two assists, while Smith had three goals and one assist and Horan a pair of assists.

Goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher preserved the win with a one-handed save on Adriana’s header in stoppage time at Parc des Princes. At the final whistle, the U.S. players celebrated as Bruce Springsteen’s “Born in the U.S.A.” played in the stadium.

“We’ve grown so much,” said Swanson, who was making her 100th national team appearance. “And that’s really cool to me seeing that. We’ve grown on and off the field. And you keep probably hearing it — we’re playing with joy. We’re having so much fun and I’m just so happy.”

The result is more heartbreak for Brazil and its iconic star, Marta. The six-time world player of the year has never won a Women’s World Cup or an Olympics. This is expected to be her last major international tournament.

It was the third victory for the United States over Brazil in an Olympic final. The Americans also beat the Brazilians in 2004 at Athens and four years later in Beijing.

The United States also won gold medals at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics — the first time women’s soccer was played at the Olympics — and in 2012 at London.

Brazil has never finished better than runner-up at the Olympics.

“I’m very emotional. It’s been a dream of mine to be in this position,” said Hayes, a London native. “I have to thank my dad because he’s the one who pushed me to this point to be able to come and coach an unbelievable group of players that have received me so well and taken on board everything I have asked. They are tremendous people and players and role models. Yeah, I love them.”

Three years ago in Tokyo, the U.S. had to settle for the bronze medal. The Americans were knocked out in the quarterfinals at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games.

Tom Cruise, former U.S. soccer star Megan Rapinoe and her fiance, former WNBA player Sue Bird, were among those in the crowd.

Marta was playing in her sixth Olympics. Her first was in 2004 — when she was just 18 — which ended with a silver. But she started on the bench after a two-game suspension for a hard foul on Spain’s Olga Carmona in the team’s final group match.

Hayes was hired as coach of the U.S. team in November but she didn’t join the squad until May so she could finish out the season with Chelsea — guiding the Women’s Super League squad to its fifth straight title.

Hayes was tasked with turning around a U.S. team that crashed out of last summer’s Women’s World Cup earlier than ever before. Despite her short time with the Americans, she quickly fostered chemistry within the young squad, particularly between forwards Sophia Smith, Trinity Rodman and Swanson.

The trio scored 10 of the 12 U.S. goals in France. Naeher and the U.S. defense allowed just two goals.

“I think we’re on this steady climb,” Crystal Dunn said. “We know winning a gold medal is obviously amazing and we’re all going to celebrate and soak this in. But there’s life after this Olympics. I think we are going to embrace where we are but I think it’s important that we realize there’s so much more that we can do, and having Emma obviously now for the long haul is going to be incredible.”

Brazil had the best chances early. Ludmila was alone in front of the goal in the second minute but her shot went straight into Naeher’s arms. Ludmila appeared to score in the upper far corner in the 16th minute but was offside.

Naeher kept the game scoreless at the break by punching away Gabi Portilho’s shot in first-half stoppage time.

Brazilian midfielder Vitoria Yaya was carried from the field with an injury early in the second half.

The U.S. continued to threaten after Swanson’s goal. Smith nearly scored on a break in the 66th but her attempt went wide.

Horan smashed a free kick into the wall in the 82nd after Tarciane fouled Smith just outside the box.

Hayes made one change to her lineup for the final, starting Korbin Albert in place of Rose Lavelle. It was the second youngest U.S. lineup to start a gold medal match, with an average age of 26.7. The average age of the team that started the 1996 final was 25.8.

Brazil had finished third in its group in France, earning one of two third-place spots in the knockout round.

The U.S. advanced to the final with a 1-0 extra-time victory over Germany in Lyon, where Smith scored the lone goal. Brazil earned its spot with a wild 4-2 victory over Women’s World Cup champion Spain.

Germany went on to win the tournament’s bronze medal with a 1-0 victory over Spain in Lyon on Friday.

Asked if the U.S. team was confident it would ultimately wear gold medals in France, defender Naomi Girma was succinct.

“I mean, we always believed,” she said.

The Denver Post contributed to this report.

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Windsor native Sophia Smith netted her third goal of the Paris Olympics, off a pass from fellow Coloradan Mallory Swanson, to push the Americans past Germany with a 1-0 semifinal victory at the Paris Olympics.

The United States, undefeated in France under new coach Emma Hayes, will be vying for its fifth gold medal in its sixth appearance in the Olympic women’s soccer final.

The Americans will play Brazil, which beat Spain 4-2 in Tuesday’s other semifinal, on Saturday in Paris. Germany will play in the bronze medal match against Spain on Friday at Lyon.

Smith broke the scoreless stalemate five minutes into extra time, outmaneuvering defender Felicitas Rauch and German goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger on Swanson’s through ball. After scoring her third goal of the tournament, Smith fell to the ground in celebration and joined in an embrace with Swanson.

“I saw like a little opening of net and I was just like, `I’ve got to put it there. Just put it there,’” Smith said. “It was a good feeling. I know I had a few other chances this game that I should have put away. But sometimes one is all it takes.”

SOPHIA SMITH. RUTHLESS.

» @TelemundoSports
pic.twitter.com/dS8Y24AXF9

— U.S. Women's National Soccer Team (@USWNT) August 6, 2024

At the final whistle, the U.S. players ran downfield to embrace goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher, who made a key save when she jumped and kicked the ball away from the goal with her left foot in the waning moments of the second extra period.

“The goal is closer but the job’s not done yet,” said Swanson, who has one assist and three goals in Paris. “I think that obviously, we’re in a great position. You take this win and we’re on a high right now, but it’s important just to stay steady with everything we’re doing. Just stay steady.”

The Americans had routed Germany 4-1 in the group stage earlier in the tournament.

The United States had missed out on the finals at the last two Olympic tournaments, eliminated in the quarterfinals in 2016 in Rio de Janeiro and relegated to the bronze-medal match at the Tokyo Games three years ago.

Germany was missing veteran captain Alexandra Popp because of an illness. Popp was the only current German player who was also on the squad that won the gold medal in 2016.

Lea Schuller, who scored two goals against Zambia in the group finale to send Germany through to the quarterfinals, was also absent because of an inflamed right knee.

The United States recalled defender Tierna Davidson to the game-day roster after she missed the last two games with a leg contusion. Defender Emily Sams, activated in Davidson’s absence, returned to the alternate list.

Midfielder Sam Coffey, who missed the quarterfinals after yellow card accumulation, returned against Germany.

There were few chances on either side in the opening half. Klara Buehl forced Naeher into a diving save in the 29th minute but she was offside. For most of the match, Germany hunkered down on defense in the absence of Popp and Schuller.

Rose Lavelle had a chance for the U.S. early in the game but her attempt went straight into Berger’s arms. Swanson broke down the field in the 62nd and had a clear look at the goal but shot into the side netting.

The game seemed to open up in the last 20 minutes of regulation. Janina Minge got off a shot in the 73rd but it was easily saved by Naeher. Some five minutes later, Golden native Lindsey Horan’s header was caught by Berger.

Swanson appeared to break through in the 85th but she was called back for offside.

“All I kept thinking as the game’s getting harder was `Dig harder. Suffer a little bit longer,'” Hayes said. “Listen, this is top level, you’re only going to get one shot. You can’t play the same team twice and have it be the same game. So I’m really proud of our ability to just hang in even though it was tough.”

The United States was in the semifinals after a hard-fought 1-0 win in extra time against Japan, when Trinity Rodman scored her third goal of the tournament.

Germany advanced on penalties after a scoreless draw with Canada in the quarterfinals. Berger stopped two Canada attempts then converted on her own penalty kick to win it.

The U.S. has won 27 of its 38 games against Germany. The last time the teams faced each other in the Olympic semifinals was in 2004 when the Americans won 2-1 and went on to win the gold medal.

The Denver Post contributed to this story.

Smith, along with Mallory Swanson and Trinity Rodman, are helping the United States reclaim its status as a team to be feared.

“I feel like we’re clicking really well, really fast. And I think this is only like 70% of what we can do,” Smith said. “I think the more games we get together, the more we’re going to be playing off each other and and just learning each other’s tendencies. But it’s so much fun playing with them.”

It’s a marked contrast to last year’s Women’s World Cup, when Smith left the field in Melbourne in tears after the United States was sent home early by Sweden.

So far in France, Swanson has three goals and Smith has a pair, while Rodman contributed the team’s first goal of the tournament.

Smith scored both of her goals in the team’s 4-1 victory on Sunday over Germany that clinched the Americans a spot in the quarterfinals at their first major tournament under coach Emma Hayes.

The United States, the winningest women’s soccer team at the Olympics with four gold medals, finished with the bronze in Tokyo. Then came the World Cup disappointment, and the Americans’ reputation slipped while other teams caught up.

A loss to Mexico earlier this year in the CONCACAF Women’s Gold Cup helped drop the team to No. 5 in the FIFA international rankings — the lowest rank for the U.S. ever.

The team was already in transition, awaiting the arrival of Hayes in May after she finished up the season with Chelsea. Hayes was hired to lead the United States back in November.

“You can see I’m not making any changes to the lineup because you have to build connections,” Hayes said following the victory over Germany, ranked No. 4 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 with the national team since her debut in 2020, scoring 22 goals. Under Hayes, she’s been playing a more central position.

“Emma’s biggest goal for me is playing in this No. 9 position. I tend to shift away from the box, but it’s about getting me to stay in the box and get those tap-in goals –- the ones I tend to score,” Smith said.

Hayes said it’s clear that Smith is thriving.

“She’s my type of player,” Hayes said. “She gives to the team and I think she’s having to learn as a No. 9 — when to hold, when to stretch, when to play off of ten. So coaching her is so much fun because she absorbs it.”

Back home, Smith is in her fifth season with the Portland Thorns in the National Women’s Soccer League. She was the NWSL’s most valuable player and the U.S. Soccer player of the year in 2022.

She and Swanson go way back, both having played for the same club in Colorado, and Rodman complements the pair. Together, they have six of the team’s seven goals heading into Wednesday’s group finale against Australia in Marseille on Wednesday.

In contrast, the team had just four goals in four games at the World Cup.

“I think we’re all similar, but we’re all different, in our own ways. Obviously Trin is is a flank player, she’s out wide, she’s going one-v-one. She’s creative out there and she creates a lot of things for us,” Smith said. “I think Mal and I are a little more central players, intertwining with each other and finding those spaces in and around the ball. So I feel like we all just we work well off each other in different ways.”

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The U.S. team’s Colorado connection is raising them.

Windsor native Sophia Smith scored a pair of goals for the Americans, who have won their opening two matches in France. Littleton’s Mallory Swanson added another goal after scoring twice in the opener. And Lynn WIlliams scored the final tally in another impressive win for the U.S.

“We haven’t done anything, let’s be frank,” Hayes said. “We’ve got three points against a really good German team. That’s is all it is, nothing more.”

The Americans are playing their first major tournament under Hayes, who took over the U.S. team in late May.

Hayes is tasked with leading the Americans as they seek to distance themselves from the disappointment of last summer’s Women’s World Cup, when they crashed out in the round of 16.

The United States is the winningest team in the Olympics, with four gold medals. The Americans won the bronze medal at the Tokyo Games under former coach Vlatko Andonovski, who resigned following the World Cup.

Smith started for the United States after leaving the opener in the first half with what appeared to be an ankle injury.
Ten minutes into the match, she struck a cross from Trinity Rodman that sailed past German goalkeeper Katrin-Ann Berger.

Giulia Gwinn equalized in the 22nd minute with a low, bouncing shot from well outside the penalty area that eluded diving U.S. goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher.

Swanson put the United States back in front in the 26th. Berger punched out an attempt from distance by Smith, but Swanson picked up the rebound for a goal.

With the tally, Swanson became the second player to score three goals in the group stage at an Olympics, joining Abby Wambach in 2012.

Smith scored her second in the 44th minute on a high-arcing shot that hit the far post and caromed into the goal.

“Anytime I’m in a position to get a touch, shift and shoot, I’m going to take it,” Smith said.

Williams, a substitute, added the final goal in the 89th minute and fans in Marseille chanted “USA! USA!” as time ran down.

U.S. defender Tierna Davidson left the match with an injury and was replaced by Emily Sonnett.

Alexandra Popp left in the 76th minute with what appeared to be a right leg injury. It was a blow to Germany, which was already playing without midfielder Lena Oberdorf (knee).

The United States plays Australia in Marseille on Wednesday to conclude group play. Germany, which defeated Australia in its Olympic opener 3-0, plays Zambia in Saint-Etienne.

Canada 2, France 1

Vanessa Gilles scored in the 12th minute of stoppage time against France to keep alive Canada’s hopes of advancing.

Canada looked to be heading out of the tournament before its final Group A match when the game was tied 1-1 in Saint-Etienne.

A six-point deduction for the drone-spying scandal meant only a win would be enough to give the defending Olympic champion any chance of advancing.

Gilles converted via the post from close range to seal the comeback win after Jordyn Huitema’s shot was saved.

Marie-Antoinette Katoto had put France ahead in the 42nd and Jessie Fleming evened the match in the 58th to give the Canadians hope.

The win still leaves Canada on zero points despite back-to-back wins because of the sanctions by FIFA.

Canada was looking into an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport over the ruling.

Australia 6, Zambia 5

Australia produced a stunning comeback to beat Zambia in Nice and boost its chances of advancing to the quarterfinals the tournament.

Michelle Heyman’s goal in the 90th minute at Stade de Nice settled a thrilling match that Zambia led 5-2 early in the second half, with Barbra Banda scoring a first-half hat trick.

“We would not have wanted it to go exactly how it did, but I think the way that the game ended says so much for the hardened spirit of this team,” said Australia’s Steph Catley, who scored twice. “We knew we could get back into it, we knew we could score more goals.”

Zambia had been involved in the highest scoring game in the history of women’s soccer at the Olympics — beaten 10-3 by the Netherlands at the Tokyo Games three years ago, with Banda scoring a hat trick in that match too.

An own goal by Ngambo Musole sparked Australia’s fightback in the 58th.

Two more goals from Catley — a free kick in the 65th and a penalty in the 78th — evened the score and set up the dramatic finale.

Heyman had come on as a substitute in the 57th and slotted home the winner for the Matildas, who were World Cup semifinalists last year.

Australia lost 3-0 to Germany in its opening game in Group B and was looking set for a second defeat after Zambia raced to a commanding lead.

As well as Banda’s hat trick, Racheal Kundananji scored twice. Alanna Kennedy and Hayley Raso scored in the first half for Australia, which plays the United States in its final group game.

Zambia plays Germany.

Japan 2, Brazil 1

Momoko Tanikawa scored a long-range goal deep in stoppage time to clinch Japan’s comeback win over Brazil.

The spectacular goal followed Saki Kumagai’s equalizer from the penalty spot after Yasmin was called for a handball at the end of regulation at Parc des Princes in Paris.

Brazil was leading 1-0 after Jheniffer’s goal in the 56th minute until Japan’s late goals, capped with Tanikawa’s strike from well outside the top of the box that caught Brazilian goalkeeper Lorena out of position.

Brazil’s Marta put her head in her hands in disbelief on the bench. A victory would have all but assured Brazil a spot in the knockout round.

Brazil started Marta, the team’s longtime captain who is playing in her sixth Olympics.

A record six-time world player of the year, Marta has said this will be her last major tournament with Brazil. Every time that the 38-year-old got a touch on the ball Sunday night the Paris crowd cheered.

She nearly scored in Brazil’s 1-0 victory over Nigeria in the team’s opener, but the goal was called back by video review. But the win over Nigeria was a valuable three points for the Brazilians who won’t know their fate in Paris until after the last group matches on Wednesday.

Brazil dominated possession in the opening half. Mina Tanaka had a good chance for Japan in the 19th minute, but her shot went just wide. Later in the half she missed on a penalty. Tanaka has 37 goals in 82 appearances for Japan.

Japan lost its opening match 2-1 to Women’s World Cup winner Spain.

The top two teams in each of the three groups, including the top two third-place teams, advance to the quarterfinals.

Spain 1, Nigeria 0

World champion Spain beat Nigeria to make it two wins from two in Group C.

Alexia Putellas scored in the 85th at Stade de la Beaujoire in Nantes to leave Spain three points clear at the top of the group, ahead of Japan and Brazil.

The game was goalless going in to the final stages when Putellas curled a long free kick past goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie into the top corner.

Colombia 2, New Zealand 0

Colombia recovered from opening loss to France by beating New Zealand in Lyon.

Goals from Marcela Restrepo and Leicy Santos secured the win that provisionally moved the Colombians level on points with France in Group A.

World Cup quarterfinalist Colombia took an early lead through Restrepo in the 27th and Santos sealed the win in the 72nd.

Despite back-to-back losses New Zealand is still above last-place Canada, which was handed a six-point deduction after the drone spying scandal.

AP Soccer Writer James Robson and AP’s Barbara Surk contributed to this report.

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The revelation is part of the fallout of an alleged drone spying scandal at the Olympics that has rocked Canada, the defending champions.

FIFA banned coach Bev Priestman — who had already been sent home from France — for a year and imposed a hefty $226,000 fine on Canada Soccer. Soccer’s world governing body also docked Canada six points in the Olympics women’s soccer tournament.

Canada was looking into an appeal, but the incident has raised questions about the practices of its men’s and women’s soccer teams and how widespread the issue could be. Canadian officials said they suspected a “systemic ethical shortcoming.”

Canada Soccer CEO and general secretary Kevin Blue said this week he learned of a possible drone incident involving the men’s national team at the recent Copa America.

He said it was his understanding that it did not have an impact on the competitive integrity of the tournament but would not offer details.

Asked whether men’s coach Jesse Marsch was aware of possible drone usage at that tournament that ended this month in the United States, Blue said Marsch was aware after the fact and has “denounced it as a practice to his staff.” Canada reached the Copa semifinals, falling 2-0 to Argentina.

A CONCACAF official confirmed a complaint at the 2022 W Championship but offered little details. The United States defeated Canada in the tournament final in Mexico, with both countries earning a berth in the Women’s World Cup and Olympics.

The Sports Network in Canada reported other incidents of surveillance, including at the Tokyo Games, citing unnamed sources with knowledge of the filming.

FIFA declined comment when asked by the AP if the matter would lead to a wider investigation into drone spying in soccer.

The case is an embarrassment for the Canadian federation, which is teaming with the United States and Mexico to host the 2026 Men’s World Cup across North America.

Two Canadian cities, Toronto and Vancouver, will stage some of the 104 games at a tournament expanding to 48 teams instead of 32. Games also will be played in 11 cities in the United States and three in Mexico.

Meanwhile, Canada’s sanctions are likely heading for the Court of Arbitration for Sport’s special Olympic court in Paris.

Canada Soccer and the Canadian Olympic Committee said late Saturday that they planned to appeal the points deduction, which make it difficult, but not impossible for Canada’s women to advance to the knockout round.

“We feel terrible for the athletes on the Canadian women’s Olympic soccer team who as far as we understand played no role in this matter,” David Shoemaker, the Olympic committee’s CEO and secretary general, said in a statement. “In support of the athletes, together with Canada Soccer, we are exploring rights of appeal related to the six-point deduction at this Olympic tournament.”

Canada was set to play host France on Sunday night in Saint-Etienne. Interim coach Andy Spence is leading the team, along with assistant Neil Wood and goalkeepers coach Jen Herst.

“There’s no training for this,” Spence said at practice on Saturday. “I’ve been asked to lead and that’s what I’m going to do to my very best capabilities.”

The Canadians won their opener 2-1 over New Zealand and have three points.

It is possible with a win against France and another against Colombia in the final group match Wednesday that the Canadian team could advance to the knockout round even with the deduction, but a lot of other results would have to fall Canada’s way.

Former national team player Diana Matheson said she was still processing the allegations.

“What I’m 100 percent clear on though, is that I 100 percent stand with the players,” she said on social media. “The players that represent Canada, present and past, know exactly what it means to represent Canada. What it means to be a Canadian athlete. I’m with you, Canadians are with you. Last game, next game, all the games, we are right there with you. Take 6 points away from us? Fine, let’s go get 9.”

The scandal erupted in the days leading up to the Olympic tournament when New Zealand complained about drones flying over practice. Two team staff members, assistant coach Jasmine Mander and analyst Joseph Lombardi, were sent home.

Priestman initially removed herself from the opener but was later suspended for the tournament. FIFA opened a disciplinary inquiry and Canada Soccer said it was opening an independent review.

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NICE, France (AP) — Mallory Swanson scored a pair of goals just moments apart in the first half and the United States opened the Olympics with a 3-0 victory over Zambia on Thursday night, giving new coach Emma Hayes a win in her first major tournament with the team.

Trinity Rodman also scored for the United States, which is looking to add a record fifth gold medal to its Olympic collection.

Zambia was hurt in the 33rd minute when Pauline Zulu was sent off with a red card and the team was limited to 10 players the rest of the way. Zulu sobbed as she left the field.

Hayes took over the U.S. team in late May after finishing out the season with Chelsea in the Women’s Super League. She shook things up a bit with her roster, leaving star forward Alex Morgan, a veteran of three Olympics, at home.

Hayes is charged with leading the Americans as they seek to distance themselves from the disappointment of last summer’s Women’s World Cup, when they crashed out in the round of 16.

“If you had asked me at the beginning of the game, ‘Would you be happy with a 3-nil win?’ I probably would have said no,” Hayes said. “However, after the performance and the chances created and finding the back of the net we did, I don’t want to be too hard on the girls.”

Rodman, making her Olympic debut, scored in the 17th minute. U.S. captain Lindsey Horan passed to Rodman, who deftly shot around onrushing Zambian goalkeeper Ngambo Musole.

Swanson scored twice within 70 seconds in the 24th and 25th minutes to give the Americans a 3-0 lead in the Group B match in Nice.

Swanson called it just a start.

“I think there’s little things within that game, within the play, that we need to fine-tune, that we can just keep on growing with,” Swanson said. “So I think there’s definitely those little things, and we’ll address them and fix them and keep moving forward.”

U.S. forward Sophia Smith left the game with what appeared to be an ankle injury late in the first half and was replaced by Lynn Williams.

Williams was originally an alternate on Hayes’ Olympic roster, but Catarina Macario wasn’t able to play in France because of minor knee irritation.

It was the first time the United States has faced Zambia on the international stage.

“A lot of credit to Zambia’s goalkeeper tonight, because in the first half I think we had a sequence of like six shots in a row that she saved or went off the post,” Horan said. “And sometimes that how it goes. I was really happy it wasn’t one of those days where the ball just doesn’t go in the back of the net.”

While Zambia started stars Barbra Banda and Racheal Kundananji, neither of them was able to break through the U.S. defense, which was stout throughout the match.

Banda is a proven scorer, with 12 goals in 12 games this season for the Orlando Pride in the National Women’s Soccer League. At the Tokyo Games, she had a pair of back-to-back hat tricks in the group stage.

The United States will next face Germany on Sunday in Marseille.

Canada 2, New Zealand 1

Evelyne Viens scored in the 79th minute to give reigning Olympic champion Canada a victory over New Zealand in a match that was overshadowed by allegations of drone surveillance at the Ferns’ practice and later resulted in Canada coach Bev Priestman being removed from her duties for the duration of the Paris Games.

The COC said in a statement released early Friday that assistant coach Andy Spence would lead the defending gold medalists for the remainder of the tournament.

Viens, who came into the match as a substitute in the 67th, took a long pass from Jessie Fleming and tucked it into the goal at the opposite post 12 minutes after entering.

Mackenzie Barry gave New Zealand the early lead with a goal in the 13th minute, but Cloe Lacasse equalized for Canada in first-half stoppage time.

The Group A match in Saint-Etienne was controversial before the start when two Canada staffers were sent home early for their alleged involvement with drones that were reported over a pair of New Zealand’s practices.

Canada played the opener without Priestman, who stepped away from the team for the match to show accountability before she was officially removed by the COC. Priestman had been adamant at practice Wednesday that she had no knowledge of the drone use.

FIFA has opened a disciplinary inquiry into the matter, and Canadian Soccer launched an independent review.

The drone scandal marred the tournament’s start. Canada won bronze medals in both the 2012 and 2016 Olympics before winning a gold in Tokyo.

Spain 2, Japan 1

World champion Spain came from behind to beat Japan in Group C thanks to a goal and an assist from Ballon d’Or winner Aitana Bonmati.

Playing in its first Olympics, Spain fell behind at La Beaujoire Stadium in Nantes after Aoba Fumino’s brilliant long range free kick flew into the top corner in the 13th.

Spain might have had flashbacks to its 4-0 loss to Japan at last year’s World Cup, but Bonmati — who has dominated the individual awards in women’s soccer over the past 12 months — leveled the game nine minutes later when rounding goalkeeper Ayaka Yamashita.

She provided the assist for Mariona Caldentey to score the winner in the 74th with a curling shot into the bottom corner.

Germany 3, Australia 0

After its humbling group-stage exit from the Women’s World Cup last year, Germany got off to a flying start at the Olympics by beating Australia in Marseille.

Marina Hegering and Lea Schueller scored headers from corners in either half and Jule Brand fired in a third for the No. 4-ranked Germans from close range.

World Cup semifinalist Australia lacked firepower without talismanic striker Sam Kerr, who is recovering from ACL damage.

Hegering’s far post header gave Germany the lead in the 24th and Schueller rose highest to convert a second in the 64th.

Brand had a simple finish from close range after Sarai Linder’s low cross to the far post in the 68th.

Brazil 1, Nigeria 0

Gabi Nunes scored in the 37th minute and Brazil went on to defeat Nigeria in Group C in Bordeaux.

Marta, a six-time world player of the year, started for Brazil in her sixth Olympics. The 38-year-old captain has said this will be her last major tournament with the national team.

Brazil’s players were looking to send Marta off with a title in a major championship, something that has eluded her. Brazil has never won a gold medal in the Olympics but claimed silver in 2004 and 2008.

France 3, Colombia 2

France built a 3-0 lead in the first half and held off Colombia in Lyon.

Marie-Antoinette Katoto scored a pair of goals and Kenza Dali added another for the hosts in Group A.

Catalina Usme converted on a penalty early in the second half for Colombia, which was returning to the Olympics after missing out on the Tokyo Games. Manuela Pavi helped close the gap further with another goal in the 64th.

___

AP Soccer Writer James Robson, in Marseille, France, contributed to this report.

___

AP Summer Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games

Now an analyst with Fox Sports, Lloyd didn’t hold back after the Americans eked out a spot in the knockout round at the Women’s World Cup with a scoreless draw against Portugal.

Lloyd called her former team “uninspiring” and criticized players for dancing and laughing with fans after the match in Auckland on Tuesday.

“I have never witnessed something like that,” she said. “There’s a difference between being respectful of the fans and saying hello to your family, but to be dancing, to be smiling?”

The next day, Lloyd walked back the comments a bit: “I was very critical of the team last night. I had some time to reflect, to sleep on it and I want people to understand that I care deeply about this team.”

Horan said Thursday that Lloyd’s comments stung.

“It’s kind of frustrating for me to hear, especially knowing this team and knowing how much we put into every single game, how much preparation we put into every single game, seeing our trainings, seeing how hard we work,” Horan said.

The United States has long retreated into a bubble environment at the World Cup, staying off social media, avoiding commentators and generally shutting out the outside world.

So the criticism aimed at the team essentially is just noise, Horan said.

“Again, it’s noise and, again, it’s an opinion and everyone is entitled to their own opinion. We know that’s how it goes, Horan said. “I always want to defend my team and say, ‘You have no idea what’s going on behind the scenes, you have no idea every single training what we’re doing individually, collectively, etc.”

It’s true the United States has not been as dominant at this World Cup as in past tournaments, with just a single win and two draws in the group stage. But the Americans nevertheless have moved on to the knockout round.

The United States, which has won a record four World Cup titles, faces Sweden on Sunday in Melbourne, Australia, to open the Round of 16.

Lloyd, who retired in 2021, scored three goals in the first 16 minutes of the 2015 World Cup final against Japan, and the United States went on to win the title 5-2. She also was on the squad that won the 2019 World Cup.

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Horan, the U.S. co-captain and a Golden native, steadied herself after an angry exchange with Dutch midfielder Danielle van de Donk and scored to give the United States a 1-1 draw with the Netherlands on Thursday.

RELATED: April Heinrichs to fellow Colorado native, USWNT captain Lindsey Horan: “Embrace the experience”

Frustrated by the Netherlands’ first half lead, Horan went from exasperation with van de Donk to elation for her tying goal in a span of just two minutes in the second half.

“To come from a goal down and have that momentum shift in the second half was incredible. I think no one was happy with our first-half performance, letting them have the ball a little bit too much, but we changed things, and how we responded,” she said.

The tie keeps the United States atop the Group E standings, in front of the Netherlands with a better goal difference, and in good position to advance to the knockout round. The Americans wrap up group play on Tuesday against Portugal.

The United States is seeking its third straight World Cup title but this time the squad is younger and less experienced than in previous tournaments. Fourteen players on the roster are making their World Cup debuts.

That’s why Horan’s leadership, and the example she sets on the field, are important.

Horan, playing in her second World Cup, was named co-captain along with Alex Morgan by coach Vlatko Andonovski before the tournament. When she and Morgan are on the field together, Horan gets the captain’s armband.

In addition to the equalizer against the Dutch, she also scored in the team’s 3-0 victory over Vietnam in the tournament opener.

“I think the captain’s band has elevated what she already does,” defender Julie Ertz said about Horan. “I don’t think she needed to change or be anything, because we looked at her as a leader.”

Horan, 26, has always been a competitive player. But the battle with van de Donk — her teammate on French club Lyon — typifies her feistiness.

Horan seethed and cursed after getting knocked down by van de Donk and the two exchanged words, prompting the referee to step in and separate the pair.

Minutes later — after a calming reminder from Ertz that she was already carrying a yellow card from a previous match — Horan coolly scored on a header off Rose Lavelle’s corner kick.

“Instead of crying about it, she just goes and makes a statement and basically shows everyone the direction the game was going to take,” Andonovski said.

Horan shared a laugh and a hug with van de Donk following the match. The two even snapped a selfie.

“I don’t think you ever want to get me mad because I don’t react in a good way. I just want something more. I want to win more, I want to score more and I want more for my team,” Horan said.

Horan grew up in Colorado and eschewed a scholarship to North Carolina to head overseas and play for Paris Saint-Germain for four seasons. In 2016 and vying for a spot on the U.S. Olympic team, she returned to the United States to play for the Portland Thorns of the National Women’s Soccer League and was named the league’s Most Valuable Player in 2018.

The Thorns loaned her to Lyon in 2022, and allowed her permanent transfer to the team in France’s top division in June.

She’s been a fixture on the U.S. national team since the 2016 Olympics in Brazil.

At the 2019 World Cup in France, Horan came off the bench for the team’s first two knockout round victories against Spain and the hosts. In the semifinal against England, she started and served Morgan the go-ahead goal.

She has made 131 appearances in all for the United States, scoring 29 goals. She and fellow Colorado native Sophia Smith each have two goals at this World Cup.

Horan is aware that those young players — including Smith — look to her in navigating soccer’s biggest stage for the first time.

“It’s great for us to have this in the group stage and to feel that kind of pressure,” Horan said. “So now we move forward. We learned a few lessons from this game and now focus on Portugal.”

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Horan was fuming after she was knocked over by Danielle van de Donk in the second half of Thursday’s rematch of the 2019 women’s final, when the United States beat the Netherlands to win their second consecutive World Cup title.

She got her revenge minutes after the tackle in a sequence that included Horan cursing about van de Donk before shoving her, as well. The two trash-talked and were separated by a referee before Horan scored the game-saving goal for the United States.

Horan scored on a well-timed header off a corner kick from Rose Lavelle in the 62nd minute to give the Americans the goal they needed to sneak out a 1-1 draw with the Netherlands. The United States remained unbeaten in 19 consecutive matches.

“I don’t think you ever want to get me mad because I don’t react in a good way,” Horan said. “I just want something more. I want to win more, I want to score more and I want more for my team.”

Horan and van de Donk were smiling after the game — van de Donk was wearing a swimming cap because of a cut to her head from a later collision — but almost anything goes in the World Cup. The two are professional teammates for French club Lyon.

“Dan is that type of player that, when she’s on my team, it’s incredible because she’s going to fight to the last second to win the game, and go into that last tackle, and that’s what she did,” Horan said. “Unfortunately, I did not take it in a good way, I got a little heated, and she got to hear it.”

Horan already has one yellow card from the opening win over Vietnam, and she had to be calmed by American defender Julie Ertz.

“She was like, `Linds, don’t get another yellow card, just score this goal to shut everyone up,’” Horan said.

She did just that, scoring her 29th career goal for the U.S. team and fourth in a World Cup. Horan knew her shot was good before it even crossed the goal line. Her expression gave her away.

Van de Donk knew she had lit a fire in Horan.

“She got a bit feisty and she came over, we just had a little talk,” van de Donk said. “The referee came in between, it wasn’t very necessary. I mean, we just played football again after that.”

The draw meant neither team earned a spot in the knockout round yet. The United States and the Netherlands are tied atop the Group E standings, but the Americans have the edge, 4-2 in goals scored so far this tournament.

Portugal defeated Vietnam 2-0 Thursday in the late Group E match in Hamilton. The United States plays Portugal in its group finale on Tuesday in Auckland, and the Netherlands plays Vietnam the same day in Dunedin.

The game was a rematch from four years ago when the Americans beat the Dutch 2-0 in the final at Lyon to clinch back-to-back titles, and fourth overall.

Jill Roord helped the Netherlands pounce first on a strike from atop the box that went though Horan’s legs in the 17th minute. They held that 1-0 lead at halftime — just the sixth time the United States had trailed at the half in 52 World Cup matches, and first time since 2011 against Sweden.

Lavelle, who scored four years ago in the final but has been hampered by injury, subbed in and gave the United States instant energy. Then came the tackle on Horan, and the United States was back in the game.

“I think the first half, we feel a little bit disappointed in how we played, but I think we fixed things right away, the pressure that we got on, and the amount of chances and opportunities that came from it,” Horan said.

The U.S. roster has 14 World Cup newcomers this year, and coach Vlatko Andonovski was pleased with how the team found its way in the second half.

“I thought it was a very good match for our team, especially for a group of young players,” he said. “They grew throughout the game individually, but also as a team we grew throughout.”

Megan Rapinoe, the American star who came in as a substitute in the opening game against Vietnam for her 200th appearance with the team, was not used in Thursday’s match. Rapinoe has announced that this is her final World Cup and she will retire at the end of the season.

The Dutch were without forward Lineth Beerensteyn, who was hurt early in her team’s 1-0 victory over Portugal to open the tournament, and leading scorer Vivianne Miedema, who ruptured her ACL while playing for Arsenal in December.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with the U.S. team at their hotel on the eve of the match and was at the game. Blinken was in Wellington for a formal bilateral meeting with New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs Nanaia Mahuta, and he will also meet with Prime Minister Chris Hipkins.

The top finisher in the group opens the knockout round in Sydney against the second-place finisher in Group G, which includes Sweden, South Africa, Italy and Argentina. The second-place finisher heads to Melbourne against the top Group G team.

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The Dutch struck first with a goal from Jill Roord in the first-half to surprise the Americans, who remained unbeaten in 19 consecutive matches with Horan’s second-half score.

Horan, a Colorado native from Golden, scored her goal on a header off a corner kick in the 62nd minute followed several minutes of jawing between the two teams: Horan was angry after she was knocked off her feet and even cursed in the direction of Van de Donk — her teammate for club team Lyon.

The Americans tried to calm Horan, who responded with her 29th international goal, fourth in the World Cup, and second consecutive in this tournament.

Before the ball even crossed the goal line, Horan’s expression showed she knew she was on target.

With the draw, neither team secured a spot in the knockout round yet, with one group match remaining. Both the Americans and the Dutch sit atop the Group E standings with a win and a draw, but the U.S. has the edge for the lead with more goals.

The game was a rematch of the 2019 Women’s World Cup final, a 2-0 win for the Americans in a game played in Lyon, France. It was the Americans’ second straight trophy in the tournament, and fourth overall.

Roord’s strike from atop the box went though Horan’s legs to put the Dutch ahead in the 17th minute.

Dominique Janssen had a good chance from distance in the 29th minute, but U.S. goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher jumped for it and the ball skirted above the crossbar and into the netting.

Horan’s header off a cross in the 36th minute went wide left as the pace became more frenzied with halftime looming.

Rose Lavelle, who was hampered by a knee injury in the run-up to the World Cup, was subbed in for the United States at the half. Lavelle, who scored one of the goals in the World Cup final four years ago, replaced Savannah DeMelo.

The Netherlands went into halftime with that single goal lead. It was just the sixth time the United States had trailed at the half in 52 World Cup matches, and first time since trailing Sweden at the break in the opening round in 2011.

Skies were sunny but temperatures were in the 50s in New Zealand’s capital city of Wellington, and there was a stiff breeze for the match. The crowd was announced at 27,312.

The Americans, vying for a record third consecutive World Cup title , defeated Vietnam 3-0 in their tournament opener. Sophia Smith scored a pair of goals and Horan added the other.

U.S. coach Vlatko Andonovski used the same lineup for the Dutch that he used against Vietnam. He’s turned to Julie Ertz, normally a midfielder, to play at center back in the absence of veteran Becky Sauerbrunn, who injured her foot and was not able to play in the World Cup.

The Dutch were without forward Lineth Beerensteyn, who was hurt early in her team’s 1-0 victory over Portugal to open the tournament. Katja Snoeijs replaced her in the starting lineup against the United States.

The Dutch were also missing leading scorer Vivianne Miedema, who ruptured her ACL while playing for Arsenal in December. She has 95 career goals for the Dutch.

The United States was undefeated in all but one of its meetings with the Dutch — the first game in 1991.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with the team at their hotel on the eve of the match and was at the game. Blinken was in Wellington for a formal bilateral meeting with New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs Nanaia Mahuta, and he will also meet with Prime Minister Chris Hipkins.

The top finisher in Group opens the knockout round in Sydney against the second-place finisher in Group G, which includes Sweden, South Africa, Italy and Argentina.

The second-place finisher heads to Melbourne against the top Group G team.

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