Paris 2024 Olympics: USWNT defeats Germany 4-1

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It’s been a while — far too long — since the U.S. women’s national team looked like a true global contender.

Bronze at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. Knocked out in the round of 16 after some uninspiring group games at the 2023 World Cup. Many frustrating friendlies along the way. Often good, rarely great.

The team was in transition; young talent in, old stars out. The team lacked an identity, which was never a problem during the various glorious periods in the team’s history — including four World Cup titles and four Olympic gold medals.

Well, one game doesn’t mean everything is set in stone or that what comes next will be the same as what came before, but Sunday’s 4-1 victory over Germany in the Olympic group stage was the most notable and positive result for the team since winning the 2019 World Cup final.

The Americans didn’t just beat a quality team at a major tournament. They showed an energetic style of play and a knack for putting the ball in the net. If this is the impact of new coach Emma Hayes, fans should be excited.

All four goals came in a series of games in which the American attacking line of Sophia Smith, Mallory Swanson and Trinity Rodman simply overwhelmed the German defense.

This was a game with a lot of openness, creative play and winning games.

It was fun to watch, but that’s not the point. Historically, the Americans play best when they are at their best.

Smith scored twice and was dominant up front, the 23-year-old using her speed and technical ability to flick home a brilliant pass from Rodman in the 10th minute.

She used her strength to hold off a German defender, create space and fire a shot that deflected past the keeper and was headed home by Swanson in the 26th minute.

And her hard work was rewarded with a shot from the top of the penalty area that deflected off the post in the 44th minute.

And that was just the first half.

Does one match change everything? Of course not. This was just group play and that guarantees nothing. This tournament is a sprint and anything can happen. There will be more contenders, especially Spain. The defense needs to be tighter. Almost everyone could have been better.

Yet Germany was FIFA’s fifth-best team, one spot above the Americans. The U.S. had never been less than No. 1 or No. 2 in the world rankings until August 2023. No. 5 is its lowest ranking ever. This wasn’t just a 3-0 win over 64th-best Zambia in the opening match of the Olympics. This was supposed to be a challenge, a measuring stick.

And the Americans did their best.

The competition in women’s football is greater than ever as more countries around the world take their development programmes and, in turn, their national teams to the next level.

The US is also investing, however, and there was a sinking fear watching the team lately that it had a lot of potential but lacked cohesion and tactical play. Scoring goals had become a chore. Just creating chances with impressive attacking play seemed impossible at times.

Sunday was a big spectacle against a big team on a big stage.

The Americans have six points in two games. They have scored seven goals. They look like a team that can win this, as they have done so many times in the Olympics in the past. The road gets tougher from here, but if this is what the US is going to get from the front line in the future, that future looks bright.

Even gold colored.