PARIS: The United States have been carried to the Olympic women's football final by their new-look attack. With Megan Rapinoe having retired and Alex Morgan being left out of the squad by new coach Emma Hayes, the trio of Sophia Smith, Trinity Rodman and Mallory Swanson has stepped up in spectacular fashion.
AFP Sport looks at the three players – collectively nicknamed "Triple Trouble" by former USA star Christen Press – whose goals have been decisive in taking the four-time gold medallists through to a showdown on Saturday in Paris against Brazil:
As the daughter of former NBA star Dennis Rodman, the 22-year-old right-winger is the most recognisable name in this generation of USA players. But she has stepped out of her father's sporting shadow since making her USWNT debut when still a teenager.
Unmissable with her long pink braids, Rodman played for the USA in their disappointing World Cup campaign last year but has really come of age at the Olympics with three goals on the way to the final, including a stunning winner against Japan in the last eight.
"Not that I dwell on it, but that World Cup experience didn't go the way we wanted it to, so to have all the ups and downs of that while also getting minutes, it was a huge learning experience for me really early on that I am so grateful for," Rodman, who plays club soccer in the NWSL for Washington Spirit, said on Thursday.
"She is a true number nine and she is dynamic and a great team player," said Hayes of Smith after her goal in extra time secured victory against Germany in the semi-finals.
Smith, of leading NWSL side Portland Thorns, made her full international debut in 2020 and so was established in the team by last year's World Cup, when she scored twice on her tournament bow against Vietnam but missed her penalty in the shoot-out loss to Sweden in the last 16.
Having played on the wing, Smith has been deployed through the middle to often devastating effect at the Olympics and has scored three times, all in two matches against Germany.
"I love playing the nine. It is what I play in Portland. It is where I do feel comfortable but with our front three we can all play everywhere," said the Colorado-born Smith, who turns 24 on the day of the final.
"We can all go wherever. I think that is what is so special about us and what makes us so hard to defend."
Swanson's absence from the World Cup last year due to a knee injury was keenly felt by former coach Vlatko Andonovski, and she has had a big impact at the Olympics.
The 26-year-old, whose husband Dansby Swanson plays in Major League Baseball for the Chicago Cubs, brings the experience to the USA attack having made her debut in 2016 and been part of the squad that won the World Cup in 2019.
As well as scoring three times, Swanson also provided the assist for Smith's winning goal against Germany and says having fun has been key to the USA's Olympic progress.
"It has been stressful at times but it also has been really fun. When you play with joy, I think the stress and the pressure is all in the back and you're just enjoying being around the staff and your teammates," she said on Thursday. --AFP