It was an all important meeting in Marseille for the two nations, as USA and Germany both searched to capitalise on the impressive momentum gained by their dominant performances on match day one.

What is it going to take to beat this US team? In what begun as an even contest, it was the USA who would come out on top as Sophia Smith gathered a brace to help send the Americans straight to the quarter-finals.

USA: Naeher; Fox, Girma, Davidson, Dunn, Coffey, Horan, Lavelle, Rodman, Swanson, Smith

GER: Berger; Gwinn, Hendrich, Hegering, Rauch, Brand, Minge, Popp, Nüssen, Schüller

End to end action ensued from the kick off in Marseille, as Germany looked dynamic from the outset. Though Emily Fox did superbly to nulify the threat of a firing Lea Schüller down the left side, as the USA shifted the momentum back in their favour.

The exciting stars shone once again, as Trinity Rodman exploded down the right side with intent. Locating Sophia Smith with brilliance, the NWSL top scorer of last season made no mistake in slotting home the opening score for her side.

Mallory Swanson searched to double the advantage inside of fifteen minutes, before her strike was denied by the waiting hands of Ann Katrin Berger.

It wouldn’t be long before the Germans equalised, as Giulia Gwinn drove a beautiful strike from range straight into the bottom left corner.

The stalemate wouldn’t be held for long, as USA’s relentless attack would prevail once more. A driving Smith liked her chances from distance, before a superb save from Katrin Berger would fall to the feet of Swanson as she hammered home the second for the evening for the Americans.

Gwinn looked to go again for the Germans, as she charged the space in the central areas before sending a whipping strike narrowly over the crossbar to deny her of the brace.

Emma Hayes’ flying side would strike once again, this time by the inevitable Sophia Smith. A clever touch to bring possession on to her right foot saw Smith look likely, as her strike took a helpful deflection to drop into the back of the net once more.

The second half commenced on equal terms, as Germany searched to make up the deficit accumulated at the hands of Sophia Smith.

Though it was the USA who looked to find another, as Trinity Rodman exploded down the right wing with intent. Teeing up a brilliant cross into the danger zone, Rodman’s ball was only answered by a miss-fired shot by the cluttered legs of Swanson and Dunn.

Amazingly, the Germans were denied on the goal line as Lea Schüller found herself a yard out from reprise with the ball near her feet. A dying effort from Emily Fox caused some confusion for the German forward, before Rodman cleared the play away from danger.

Rodman would look to add a fourth, as she made her way around Marina Hegering with clever feet, before curling her left-footed strike goal-bound. Though a stretching effort from Katrin Berger would see Rodman’s strike tipped over the crossbar.

The NWSL all time leading goalscorer would have the final say in Marseille, as Swanson charged through the middle to find Lynn Williams down the left. A clinical strike saw Williams ripple the net with ease, as the USA looked absolutely dominant on the occasion.

The German side would be unable to fight back against the onslaught of the American side, as Emma Hayes marched on to two consecutive victories in her first two competitive fixtures with the USWNT.