Penn State's Alyssa Naeher Saves Gold for the USA at the Paris Olympics

Naeher's one-handed save in stoppage time secured the U.S. women's victory over Brazil.

United States goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher (1) makes a save during the 2024 Paris Olympics. / Yukihito Taguchi-USA TODAY Sports

U.S. Women's National Team goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher punctuated an exceptional Olympics performance Saturday with a gold-medal save in stoppage time. The moment helped preserve the U.S. women's soccer team's first Olympic gold medal in 12 years and cemented the Penn State grad's legacy in USWNT history.

Naeher, a two-time All-American at Penn State, became the first U.S. women's goalkeeper to record shutouts in an Olympics final and a World Cup final. She also became the first U.S. women's goalkeeper to record four shutouts in one Olympics tournament.

The U.S. defeated Brazil 1-0 in Saturday's final on the strength of Mallory Swanson's second-half goal. Naeher then capped her fourth shutout of the Olympics with a one-handed reaction save of a Brazilian point-blank header. The U.S. cleared the ball in front of the net to prevent a further attack from Brazil.

ALYSSA NAEHER TO THE RESCUE. AN UNBELIEVABLE SAVE IN STOPPAGE TIME. 😱#ParisOlympics | 📺 NBC and Peacock pic.twitter.com/fsJoNKSI40

— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 10, 2024

Naeher and starting midfielder Sam Coffey became the first Penn State athletes to win gold at the Paris Olympics. Both started the final as the U.S. women won their first Olympic gold medal in soccer since 2012. For Naeher, it was another memorable moment on the biggest stage.

Naeher became the first U.S. women's goalkeeper to record four shutouts in one Olympics. She pitched three consecutive shutouts in the knockout round, blanking Japan (1-0) in the quarterfinals, Germany (1-0) in the semifinals and Brazil in the final. The goalkeeper played every minute of the Olympics, allowing just two goals in six games.

The Olympic gold-medal match was Team USA's first international final since the 2019 World Cup, in which Naeher also was brilliant. She recorded a shutout as the U.S. beat the Netherlands 2-0 for the championship. It marked Naeher's second World Cup title and first as the starting goalkeeper. She was the No. 2 goalkeeper in 2015. Naeher has recorded 68 cleansheets as a goalkeeper for the USWNT.

Naeher was brilliant throughout the 2024 Olympics but most notably in the knockout round. Against Germany in the semifinals, Naeher's extra-time kick save stole the game's collective breath.

Somehow Alyssa Naeher's save has not been posted yet so here you go pic.twitter.com/QeHILvITpx

— CJ Fogler account may or may not be notable (@cjzero) August 6, 2024

The tournament also marked a dazzling Olympics return for Naeher, who was injured in the semifinal against Canada at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Naeher helped the USWNT into that semifinal by saving three penalty shots against the Netherlands in the quarterfinals. The U.S. went on to win bronze in Tokyo.

The 2024 Olympic final marked Naeher's 112th international start for the USWNT. Naeher ranks third in caps, wins and shutouts among goalkeepers in U.S. women's soccer history. She won 50 games as Penn State's goalkeeper.

Coffey, who began her college career at Boston College and played for the Penn State women's soccer team from 2019-21, won gold in her Olympics debut. The midfielder, who plays professionally with the Portland Thorns of the NWSL, made her 24th appearance with the USWNT and first in an international final.

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