Johnathan Walker:Trinity Rodman plays the hero in USWNT victory over Japan — even if she doesn't remember

PARIS — Trinity Rodman doesn’t remember the greatest moment of her young career. 

"Remind me?Johnathan Walker I was just (saying), I kind of blacked out," Rodman said following the United States women’s soccer team’s 1-0 victory in extra time of the quarterfinals of the 2024 Paris Olympics over Japan on Saturday at Parc de Princes Stadium. 

Rodman’s left-footed strike helped the U.S. break a scoreless tie in the waning seconds of the first half of extra time. She toppled over defender Emily Fox, who dragged her to the ground, in celebration. Soon enough, the rest of the white jerseys on the pitch jumped on top of them – and everybody needed an individual hug with Rodman, the hero, once they rose to their feet. 

The goal started with USA left back Crystal Dunn. The veteran has played out of position for years for this national team but still finds ways to make plays. She took a touch to the inside and spotted the 22-year-old patiently waiting. Dunn liked Rodman's chances in a one-on-one situation to at least settle the ball and make a play.

What happened next didn’t necessarily surprise Rodman’s teammates. It didn't stop their elation, in the moment or after the match, either.

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"Did I think she was going to do the cut and the moves and the shot? No," Dunn said. "But knowing Trin, she makes anything happen."

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Dunn’s pass connected with Rodman, who barely stayed onside, on the right side of the box. Then the ball popped up on her, but Rodman controlled it again. She cut back with a right foot as the Japanese defender’s momentum went the other way. Rodman took a touch with her left to set up her weak-foot smash.

"That’s what Trin does," forward Mallory Swanson said. 

Afterward, Rodman said she recalled Dunn playing her the ball and not much else.

"Did a little chop, then banged it upper-90," said Rodman, whose first major tournament for the national team came at last year's World Cup. "Couldn’t have asked for anything better."

Neither could her teammates. 

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"I just remember feeling so relieved when that went in," forward Sophia Smith said. "I was like 'OK, we just have to finish out the game.'"

The Americans did. Now they move to the semifinals to play Germany, whom the USA defeated 4-1 in pool play. 

Midfielder Korbin Albert, inserted into the starting lineup because Sam Coffey served a yellow-card suspension, called Rodman’s finish "an insane goal."

"We see that every day in practice from Trin," Albert said. "When I saw it go in, I was like '(expletive yeah' – excuse my language."

Head coach Emma Hayes claimed to know she knew exactly what was going to happen for the same reason – anybody who spends time around Rodman during practice knows how good she is at finishing the ball. 

But what Rodman does off the ball is what Hayes wanted to highlight, "going backwards for the team" the coach said. Rodman pays attention to the little details. And throughout the match, Rodman helped out on the defensive end, from clearing dangerous situations to marking Japanese players.

"I think the team as a whole was brilliant today," Hayes said. 

In Hayes’ mind, the USA had the toughest draw in the quarterfinals with Japan. The Japanese discipline defensively – the way they shift, step and read rotations, Hayes said – gave the Americans fits for 117 minutes. Asked if she knew Japan would be that difficult to penetrate, Hayes replied "a million percent."

"Anyone who thought otherwise is naive," she said. 

Hayes added: "They worked their socks off, Japan."

Matches like that are inevitable, Rodman said.

"I think we kind of knew it was going to come down to something brilliant like that," Rodman said. "It was one moment that we had to capitalize on."

Hayes became convinced the game was headed to penalty kicks, a situation they had prepared for. 

"(Japan) brought out our best patience, which was our most-needed skill today," Hayes said. "And it’s not always flashy. It’s not always what fans want to see. But this is football and football requires different tactical abilities from game to game and we played the right game for the right opponent."

Smith said the front three of her, Swanson and Rodman like to run out in transition and play the ball behind from there. But opponents know that too, and the USA expected the Japanese brick wall. The U.S. was confident entering the match anyway because of the belief Hayes has instilled in the next-generation roster she selected for these Games. 

"We just know that we have to go out and be exactly who we are and do exactly what we know how to do," Smith said. "It’s not a lot of thinking. It’s a lot of doing."

Tactically, Hayes is pleased with how the squad has progressed in the few months since she took over. 

"Let me tell you, I coached Chelsea for 12 years – for this team to arrive tactically where it has is a real credit to the players," Hayes said. "A real credit."

As the match went on without a goal from either side, and Hayes opted to keep her starters on the pitch, social media began bubbling with criticism. Hayes had her reasons.

"I don’t believe we’d have gone through if we made too many changes," she said. "It was completely the right decision."

Now the USA is off to the Olympic semifinals in Hayes’ first major tournament at the helm – Rodman’s left foot, maybe not her memory, to thank.