“Our players showed some good abilities but when you have such a difference of experience, you have to pay to learn this and tonight we paid a lot”, said Bruno Bini, team China’s head coach, in an interview with Xinhua news agency. We are really catching a glimpse into the future of our women’s team, and that future is looking bright.
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The goal was the 89th of Lloyd’s stellar worldwide career, and she’s hot on Abby Wambach’s heels for the U.S. Olympic record. “But we have something different and I don’t think anybody has seen the USA team as we are right now”.
“I think we are always feeling the pressure of coming back with gold”.
The chants were repeated after the final whistle.
“I was just impressed with our ball movement”, Solo told NBC Sports Network. When they score early, they are nearly impossible to beat for most opponents. The last time Lloyd found herself on the national stage, she scored three goals in the first 16 minutes of the 2015 World Cup final. The U.S. Women’s Soccer team is among those to draw first blood in the Olympics. France rolled over Colombia, 4-0, in a game it could have won by a larger score.
New Zealand, playing in its third consecutive Olympics, barely threatened the U.S.at Mineirao, which holds more than 60,000 spectators.
Team GB do not play football at the Olympics as the home nations can not agree on how to combine – London 2012 being the only exception since 1960.
It was the 89th goal in 225 appearances for the midfielder, who is the most-capped player at the Olympics tournament. She has 13 Olympic appearances, tied with Solo for the most on the team.
Seconds into the second half, though, Alex Morgan put any and all concerns to rest. She is 24 years young and has 23 goals in 74 soccer games for her country.
The USA will be in search of their fifth Olympic title since women’s football was introduced in Sydney 2000.
Several national team stalwarts – including all-time leading scorer Abby Wambach and midfield conduit Lauren Holiday – retired after winning the World Cup.
Canada got off to a ideal start with a 2-0 win over Australia despite having just 10 players for the majority of the game, Janine Beckie and Christine Sinclair scoring in each half.
Barcelona superstar Neymar was among the Brazil squad who were put through their paces ahead of their Rio Olympics opener on Thursday.
Elsewhere, Sweden defeated South Africa 1-0 in the first action of Rio 2016.
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However, Sweden halted South Africa’s momentum in the 74th minute as defender Nilla Fischer scored off a mishandled cross by South African goalkeeper Roxanne Barker.
