Let’s recap Match 15 of women’s soccer in the Paris Olympics. It was the USWNT‘s final group-stage game against Group B rivals Australia. The game had just kicked off when, in the 17th minute, Sam Coffey received an early booking. It was a heartbreaking moment for the American midfielder, as this marked her second consecutive yellow card in the tournament, following her first booking during a 4-1 win over Germany in Match 9.

This also meant that Coffey would miss the upcoming quarterfinal against Japan, a match she was determined to play. Guilt started to flush in within the Portland Thorns star’s mind, who, instead of focusing on winning against the Aussies to end the group stage campaign, started thinking about her absence in the quarter-final clash, which could mean this final group stage clash could potentially be her last game.

Of course, the plot says it wasn’t but at that moment, Samantha felt lost. “In my head, it was like a month,” she remarked on her misery of getting booked. However, behind her was the USWNT’s wall of defense and her dear teammate, who helped Coffey calm down. “I remember Naomi behind me was just like ‘You got this, you’re good let’s just keep going,'” narrated the 25-year-old on the latest episode of The Women’s Game podcast, hosted by USWNT icon Sam Mewis.

“Her voice and presence was really helpful for me through that game and she obviously is like a rock for our team but her encouragement to me in that game really helped me. [I was like] ‘Okay, this thing sucks but we have a job to do,'” added Coffey, acknowledging her efforts to help the holding midfielder calm down. Even if the Thorns star herself admitted that she faced challenges doing the same, such words from Girma did the trick.

In fact, Coffey began to think of the brighter side to her suspension. “I think getting that extra rest really set me up for success in the semi and the final because like it was it was tough,” she admitted. And boy did that prove favorable as she was ever ready for the semifinals as well the finals, eventually clinching the gold medal with her teammates.

While she managed to find calm in the chaos of her suspension with Girma’s words and her own perspective, there was someone else who also made her realize that it was no big deal!

Aside from Naomi Girma, Emma Hayes also stepped up to encourage Sam Coffey over her suspension

Having picked up a yellow and coming in the dressing room during halftime, those 15 minutes saw Samantha Coffey going over the guilt trip again. However, enter Emma Hayes, who took charge of the pep talk. “I remember Emma also kind of giving me that similar encouragement of, ‘I know but you have a job to finish soldier and you have to go finish it,'” reminisced Coffey. 

Making herself realize that now isn’t the time to feel sorry over her suspension, a fire ignited within Coffey who literally went beast mode. “I was like okay [saluting gesture to Hayes].’ I literally would through a brick wall for this woman…I can have my feelings about it later but right now we have a job to finish. It’s not done and I said to her, ‘I will die on this field if that’s what it takes for us to win.'”

The rest, as you know, is history.