Members of the U.S. Women’s National Team celebrate a goal by Alex Morgan, left, during the Olympics Group G match against New Zealand at Mineirao Stadium in Belo Horizonte, Brazil on August 3, 2016.
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Brazil open their campaign against South Africa in Brasilia, one of six Olympic football host cities, before facing Iraq and Denmark in Group A. Just 17 minutes into the USA’s opening match in 2012, midfielder Shannon Boxx was injured and Lloyd was thrown into the mix.
Tobin Heath and Morgan Brian should be available after minor injuries that hampered their July 22 send-off game. Eugenie Le Sommer scored in the 14th minute, Camille Abily added to the lead the third goal in the 42nd, and Amel Majri closed the scoring in the 82nd.
Hand the newcomers some valuable experience?
The Olympic athlete also won the Golden Ball as best player at the 2015 Women’s World Cup. The U.S. will take on France in its second group match on August 6. In terms of advancing, the game ultimately means little – both teams are a safe bet to go through.
This is a very different team attempting to finish the job, though. Solo will be making her 192nd start and seeking her 102nd shutout, both USA goalkeeper records. “But in her game I think she has grown in terms of her movement, her running off the ball, her timing, her touch”. After halftime, however, Brian adjusted.
“You’ve definitely got a massive target on your back”, U.S. Coach Jill Ellis said. And it took less than a minute for her to make a tangible impact, playing in Morgan for the insurance tally with a smart one-time pass. Their defense was impressive and looked dynamic for most of the game, coming forward and at times shooting. With her high soccer IQ and ability to hit a killer through ball, it should be an ideal role.
Sweden, a 2012 Olympic quarterfinalist, is coached by Pia Sundhage, who led the US women to gold in 2008 and 2012. The Olympic tournament is a 12-team tournament making some of the world’s best team unable to qualify.
Speaking of young players, 18-year-old Mallory Pugh, who delayed her freshman year at UCLA to train for the Olympics, became the youngest player to ever start for the USWNT.
The victory of the USA was clear but it was not an easy one.
That change was the turning point for the U.S.in the match and for the rest of the tournament. She had posted social media tweets of herself wearing mosquito nets as headgear recently, drawing the ire of the Brazilians.
The U.S. won. The U.S. will nearly definitely advance to the knockout round.
Lloyd, the captain and star midfielder for the U.S., knows that the pressure is on as the team strives to win a fourth straight gold medal, with the campaign getting underway against New Zealand in Belo Horizonte on Wednesday evening.
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Morgan’s latest goal came 34 seconds into the second half Wednesday against New Zealand. With the 27-year-old fit, healthy and in a goal-scoring groove, the USA will be tough to unseat from the top of the podium this summer.
