US Women’s National Team Dominates Zambia in Olympic Opener

NICE, France (July 25, 2024) – The U.S. Women’s National Team kicked off their journey at the 2024 Paris Olympics with a solid 3-0 victory over Zambia, showcasing their skills under the guidance of new head coach Emma Hayes.

The match highlighted a brilliant first-half performance, starting with a slick goal from forward Trinity Rodman at the 17th minute. Following that, forward Mallory Swanson scored twice within just 70 seconds, securing the team’s lead.

Team captain Lindsey Horan played a pivotal role, providing assists for both Rodman’s and Swanson’s goals. The defense was equally impressive, with goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher earning another shutout, marking her third in recent games.

This match marked a youthful beginning for the U.S. squad, as seven players made their Olympic debut. The starting XI was the youngest seen in a World Cup or Olympic tournament since the Beijing Games in 2008, with an average age of 27.4 years.

The U.S. has now won six of their eight historical Olympic tournament openers, and this year’s competition includes 12 nations divided into three groups of four. The top two teams from each group, alongside two best third-place finishers, will progress to the quarterfinals.

In Group B, the U.S. faces tough competition, including Germany and Australia, with Germany having secured a commanding 3-0 win over Australia in their opener.

Despite being ranked 64th in the world, Zambia was anticipated to provide a substantial challenge, having shown considerable improvement over the last two years and winning bronze at the 2022 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.

The match against Zambia was an inaugural confrontation, marking an important challenge for the U.S. defense which successfully contained Zambia’s threats, particularly focusing on players like Barbra Banda and Racheal Kundananji.

The Americans had an intense start, creating numerous opportunities before Rodman finally broke the deadlock with a skillful goal. Swanson then quickly followed with two opportunistic finishes, capitalizing on assists from Horan and Sophia Smith.

Zambia’s fortunes took a further hit when defender Pauline Zulu received a red card for a last-defender foul, leaving the team a player short going into the second half.

The U.S. continued to dominate play, outshooting Zambia significantly and maintaining pressure, though they could not add to their tally in the second half as the African side dug deep defensively.

Looking ahead, the U.S. will prepare for a crucial encounter against Germany on Sunday, July 28, at the Stade de Marseille.