Mark Kiszla: With one big boot, Colorado native Mallory Swanson puts United States back atop soccer world | Sports Coverage

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PARIS – When scoring a goal was starting to seem like Mission Impossible, Mallory Swanson created soccer magic so sweet it made Tom Cruise jump for joy.

“Leave it! Do not touch it!” Swanson shouted at U.S. teammate Sophia Smith, demanding the ball as they both chased a long pass from Korbin Albert into the danger zone in front of Brazilian goalkeeper Lorena.

Detecting that Smith had drifted offsides, Swanson roared instructions that pierced the din of nearly 50,000 fans in Parc de Princes.

“It was scary,” joked Smith, startled by the ferocity of Swanson’s order.

And then what happened?

An Olympic legend was born on a Saturday that went looking for a new face of American soccer.

“It was on me to put the score away,” Swanson said.

With the ball at her feet in the scoreless 57th minute of this championship match, a kid that was chowing down on wings in suburban Denver the last time American women won Olympic gold at London way back in 2012, grew into a worthy heir to Mia Hamm and Megan Rapinoe and American soccer royalty.

Her score caused Cruise, in France to film the eighth chapter of the Mission Impossible movie franchise, to leap to his feet and pump his fists from the stands.

When I showed Swanson a photo of how much joy she brought Cruise and America, it made the 26-year-old Littleton native gasp with disbelief.

“Oh my gosh,” Swanson said. “I need to go watch a replay.”

The only goal the United States would need in this 1-0 victory against Brazil is worthy of playing on a continuous loop in Swanson’s memory.

Team USA entered the Olympic tournament ranked fifth in the world, but oh my gosh did Swanson’s score make a statement:

The USWNT is back on top of the world!

And it could not have happened without Colorado.

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Three stalwarts of Team USA were born and raised in the Rockies.

Swanson scored four goals in six games for the red, white and blue side. Smith, who was born in Windsor, added three scores. And Lindsey Horan, the pride of Golden, was Captain America of a program that had lost its mojo, until new coach Emma Hayes changed everything 75 days ago when she took over the squad.

“No one sees the work (Horan) does off the pitch,” said Hayes, giving flowers to a captain known more for her grit than grace. “You don’t see the conversations she had, whether it’s helping a young player, settling nerves or reminding teammates they’re confident. … She has put winning first, and I can really see why she’s the leader of this team.”

Those words made Horan weep with pride for enduring a tough journey that began right here in Paris a dozen years ago.

Horan turned pro, moved overseas and joined the women’s side of world-famous club Paris Saint Germain straight out of high school.

But a soccer dream quickly turned into a nightmare, as PSG coaches body-shamed Horan for being chunky, fined her for eating chocolate and dragged down a young player’s confidence until it nearly killed her passion for the sport.

“The 18-year-old girl that joined the PSG team,” Horan told me, “I don’t think she believed I would be on this stage right now. … I started my career here (in Paris), and now I get to put a gold medal in Parc des Princes.”

While a strong case can be made for Swanson as the tournament’s most outstanding player, there’s no doubt the MVP of the championship match was 36-year-old goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher.

With Brazil dominating possession of the ball with speed that frequently rocked the USA's talented back line on its heels, Naeher made a spectacular save on strike by Ludmila during the opening 90 seconds of the game. And even more crucially, she swatted away a header by Andriana from point-blank range during 10 tense minutes of added time at the conclusion of the second half.

When the American women had sent Brazil and its legendary star Marta packing with the disappointment of silver, Naeher and Swanson shared a good cry on the field.

They are also teammates back in the States, playing for the Chicago Red Stars in the National Women’s Soccer League. So, yes, Naeher was there when Swanson suffered a gruesome patella tendon tear in April 2023, an injury that shook her confidence to the core.

“To see her score that big goal, to see the joy on her face again,” said Naeher, moved by Swanson’s refusal to surrender and determination to be America’s next great soccer hero. “I just love her to death.”

At the conclusion of the greatest game of her life, Swanson plopped down on the field, overcome with emotion, bawling her eyes out, contemplating her journey back from injury. She’s eternally grateful Naeher was there for her with a cup of coffee and encouraging words, when Swanson was stuck in bed and couldn’t walk after surgery, much less a dream of being the shining star of the Summer Games.

“But now? We're here Together,” Swanson said. “Sharing this moment means so much more than just the gold medal around my neck.”

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