Magnetic Mallory Swanson proves to be catalyst for USWNT as they seek first Olympic gold since 2012

Recovered and rising again after missing 2023 World Cup with injury, Swanson has been integral to the U.S. attack in Paris Games

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  World Cup dreams dashed

  It was a heartbreaking sight. There was Swanson, down on the grass during a U.S. friendly against Ireland. There were just a few months before the World Cup. As she was carted off, she knew what everyone soon would find out: her World Cup dream was over.

  Torn left patella tendon, the confirmation read. Many months on the sideline, rehabilitating. The USWNT would attempt to march on without her, but instead tripped over their own feet Down Under.

  The World Cup was a disaster for a variety of reasons from a USWNT perspective, but Swanson's absence certainly played its part. Without the veteran attacker, the U.S. struggled to score goals. They crashed out early, ushered in an overhaul at the top, brought in a new coach and started a new era.

  Could Swanson have made the difference last year? Who knows? But, from what we've seen this summer, she sure as hell would have helped.

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  A huge return

  The USWNT that Swanson walked back into this year was vastly different than the one she left. When she was injured, the U.S. was sputtering into what ended up being the final few months of Vlatko Andonovski's coaching tenure. Swanson returned, at least initially, under Twila Kilgore, who was leading the team on an interim basis until Emma Hayes arrived from Chelsea in May.

  And it's been under Hayes that Swanson signaled that she was back.

  In a friendly against South Korea on June 1, Swanson scored twice in a 4-0 win, helping kick off the new coach's tenure in style. As important, it underscored that all the hard work and recovery Swanson had endured had paid dividends. She didn't feature in the World Cup, but she certainly would in the Olympics.

  "It's super special," Swanson said at the time. "You're never the same person as you were the last day, so taking every learning opportunity that I can, growing, and trying to be an impact on whoever I can."

  Once in France, Swanson began to shine, showing just how important she is to this USWNT.

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  The 'veteran' of the group

  It's actually wild that, at just 26, Swanson is the veteran of this front three. Despite her age, she already has a World Cup medal and an Olympic appearance under her belt. She was once the young, rising star; now, on a squad with Rodman, Smith and Jaedyn Shaw, she's surrounded by them.

  A healthy Swanson was thrown right back into the XI alongside Smith and Rodman. Both have been, correctly, tipped for superstardom, but both struggled a bit at the World Cup. Smith scored twice in the opening game last summer and then never scored again. Rodman didn't find the back of the net at all.

  That was a key for the U.S. this summer: igniting the attack. As it turns out, it may have been as simple as reinserting Swanson into the lineup.

  "She's a player I've always admired," Hayes said of Swanson, "so to get the opportunity to coach and see first-hand the quality she possesses -- she's a connector. She's really magnetic, as a human being too, in the way she operates in the team."

  Each member of that lethal front three has scored three goals this summer as the U.S. attack has scored when it counts. In fact, Rodman and Smith either scored or assisted in all of the U.S. group stage games, the first time U.S. teammates had done so in an Olympic group stage since Alex Morgan and Abby Wambach at London 2012. And Swanson has been a dynamic catalyst for that U.S. attack.

  "I think we're all really starting to come around to the way Emma has wanted us to play," Swanson said. "It's been really enjoyable just being able to learn different things and trying to apply them, especially since the group that we have is super special."

  Swanson's goals so far all came in the group stage. She scored two in a matter of seconds against Zambia, leading the way in a 3-0 win. She scored again against Germany in what ended as a 4-1 triumph that helped the U.S. continue their march toward gold.

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  Not just a goalscorer

  Swanson's return isn't just about her scoring goals, though. Her diverse skillset allows her to impact the game in so many different ways.

  Consider her intelligence, for example. Game after game, Swanson makes runs that put defenses on the backfoot (as do Smith and Rodman). As a result, backlines have to respond. Manipulating defenses into reacting one way and then hitting them in another? That's pure skill, one that this USWNT attack is mastering. With this trio, nothing is static, and that makes life uncomfortable for defenses.

  And when she does get the ball, Swanson does things with it. She's scored, yes, but her ability to create has also proven invaluable. It was her through ball that played Smith on goal in the semifinal win over Germany, ultimately winning the game for the USWNT. It was a pass that required vision and touch, and Swanson is blessed with both.

  The point is this: she simply makes everyone around her better. As Hayes said, Swanson is "magnetic" and "connector." Her skillset opens doors that, without her, wouldn't exist. Her finishing gives defenses so many things to be concerned about. Her passing leads to chances that, ultimately, win games. With Swanson in the XI, the U.S. are a more dynamic, unpredictable and effective team.

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  A Golden chance

  The history is undeniable: The USWNT has the most Olympic gold and most total medals in the history of the competition, winning four golds, one silver and one bronze. But after being shut out of the medal round in 2016 and taking bronze at the 2021 Games, this is their first chance to claim gold in 12 years.

  And Swanson has Olympics history herself, believe it or not. She was on that 2016 squad, and at just 18, was surrounded by legends and icons. That summer, she became the youngest Olympic goalscorer for the USWNT. Yet, despite it all, she left empty-handed. No Gold, no Silver or Bronze. Nothing.

  This summer, Swanson will leave with a medal. The question is this: what color will it be?

  Gold is on the line when the U.S. face Brazil on Saturday. Throughout this five-game Olympic run, the U.S. has exceeded most expectations. But heading into this final game, they're no longer underdogs; they're favorites. The world now expects this team to win again, as they did for decades before.

  Even at 26, Swanson has seemingly seen it all. She's lived with the expectations and the setbacks. She won a World Cup and was forced to watch as the U.S. fell apart at another. She's created big moments at these Olympics, but now's the time for one more.

  Who will be the game-changer on Saturday? Who can creates the moment that inspires the memory? Swanson is as good a candidate as any. And even if, instead, one her terrific teammates winds up in position to score a legacy-defining goal, you can bet that Swanson will be involved, making it happen, making a difference, making memories - as she always seems to do.