Sophia Smith's extra-time goal sends USWNT into the Olympic final with a 1-0 win over Germany

LYON, France (AP) — Glimpsing a sliver of the net, Sophia Smith's aim was true.

Smith's extra-time goal earned the United States a spot in the gold medal match at the Paris Olympics with a 1-0 semifinal victory over Germany on Tuesday.

The Americans, undefeated in France under new coach Emma Hayes, will be vying for their fifth gold medal in their sixth appearance in the Olympic women's soccer final.

The United States will play Brazil, which defeated Spain 4-2 in the late match, in the tournament final on Saturday in Paris. Germany will play Spain for the bronze medal on Friday at Lyon.

Smith broke the scoreless stalemate five minutes into extra time, out maneuvering defender Felicitas Rauch and German goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger. After scoring her third goal of the tournament, Smith fell to the ground in celebration and joined in an embrace with teammate Mallory 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.”

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," Swanson said. "I think that obvioulsy 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, 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.

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

United States' Emily Fox fights for the ball with Germany's Klara Buehl during a women's semifinal soccer match between the United States and Germany at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2024, at Lyon Stadium in Decines, France. (AP Photo/Laurent Cipriani)

United States' Trinity Rodman fights for the ball with Germany's Felicitas Rauch during a women's semifinal soccer match between the United States and Germany at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2024, at Lyon Stadium in Decines, France. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)

Germany's Linder Sarai fights for the ball with Germany's Klara Buehl during a women's semifinal soccer match between the United States and Germany at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2024, at Lyon Stadium in Decines, France. (AP Photo/Laurent Cipriani)

Germany's Bibiane Schulze Solano fights for the ball with Germany's Alexandra Popp during a women's semifinal soccer match between the United States and Germany at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2024, at Lyon Stadium in Decines, France. (AP Photo/Laurent Cipriani)

United States' Trinity Rodman jumps for the ball with Germany's Janina Minge during a women's semifinal soccer match between the United States and Germany at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2024, at Lyon Stadium in Decines, France. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)

United States' Sophia Smith tries to beat Germany's goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger during a women's semifinal soccer match between the United States and Germany at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2024, at Lyon Stadium in Decines, France. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)

United States' Sophia Smith celebrates with Trinity Rodman the opening goal during a women's semifinal soccer match between the United States and Germany at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2024, at Lyon Stadium in Decines, France. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)

United States' Sophia Smith celebrates with team mates the opening goal during a women's semifinal soccer match between the United States and Germany at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2024, at Lyon Stadium in Decines, France. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)

United States' Sophia Smith celebrates with team mates the opening goal during a women's semifinal soccer match between the United States and Germany at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2024, at Lyon Stadium in Decines, France. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)

BOULDER, Colo. (AP) — The last time Khadija Ahidid saw her son, he came to breakfast in 2021 looking “homeless” with big hair so she offered to give him $20 so he could go get a shave or a haircut that day. Hours later, he shot and killed 10 people at a supermarket in the college town of Boulder.

She saw Ahmad Alissa for the first time since then during his murder trial on Monday, saying repeatedly that her son, who was diagnosed after the shooting with schizophrenia, was sick. When one of Alissa’s lawyers, Kathryn Herold, was introducing her to the jury, Herold asked how she knew Alissa. Ahidid responded “How can I know him? He is sick,” she said through an Arabic interpreter in her first public comments about her son and the shooting.

Alissa, who emigrated from Syria with his family as a child, began acting strangely in 2019, believing he was being followed by the FBI, talking to himself and isolating from the rest of the family, Ahidid said. His condition declined after he got Covid several months before the shooting, she said, adding he also became “fat” and stopped showering as much.

There was no record of Alissa being treated for mental illness before the shooting. After the shooting, his family later reported that he had been acting in strange ways, like breaking a car key fob and putting tape over a laptop camera because he thought the devices were being used to track him. Some relatives thought he could be possessed by an evil spirit, or djinn, according to the defense.

No one, including Alissa’s lawyers, disputes he was the shooter. Alissa has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity in the shooting. The defense says he should be found not guilty because he was legally insane and not able to tell the difference between right and wrong at the time of the shooting.

Prosecutors and forensic psychologists who evaluated him for the court say that, while mentally ill, Alissa knew what he was doing when he launched the attack. They point to the planning and research he did to prepare for it and his fear that he could end up in jail afterward to show that Alissa knew what he was doing was wrong.

Alissa mostly looked down as his mother testified and photographs of him as a happy toddler and a teenager at the beach were shown on screen. There was no obvious exchange between mother and son in court but Alissa dabbed his eyes with a tissue after she left.

The psychiatrist in charge of Alissa's treatment at the state mental hospital testified earlier in the day that Alissa refused to accept visitors during his over two year stay there.

When questioned by District Attorney Michael Dougherty, Ahidid said her son did not tell her what he was planning to do the day of the shooting.

She said she thought a large package containing a rifle that Alissa came home with shortly before the shooting may have been a piano.

“I swear to God we didn’t know what was inside that package,” she said.

Dougherty pointed out that she had told investigators soon after the shooting that she thought it could be a violin.

After being reminded of a previous statement to police, Ahidid acknowledged that she had heard a banging sound in the house and one of her other sons said that Alissa had a gun that had jammed. Alissa said he would return it, she testified.

She indicated that no one in the extended family that lived together in the home followed up to make sure, saying “everyone has their own job.”

“No one is free for anyone,” she said.

FILE - Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa, accused of killing 10 people at a Colorado supermarket in March 2021, is led into a courtroom for a hearing, Sept. 7, 2021, in Boulder, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, Pool, File)