USA Women will kick off their Olympic campaign against Zambia Women at the Allianz Rivera on Thursday, aiming to start strong in their bid for a fifth gold medal.
This match marks Zambia’s second Olympic appearance, highlighting their progress in international women’s football.
The Stars and Stripes enter their first major competition since a disappointing last-16 exit at the 2023 World Cup, which led to Vlatko Andonovski’s departure and Emma Hayes’ appointment as head coach.
Hayes, who joined after a successful 12-year tenure at Chelsea, has already begun to make her mark with three consecutive victories followed by a goalless draw against Costa Rica. Under Hayes, the USA is yet to concede a goal, setting a solid foundation for their Olympic quest.
Despite not having won Olympic gold since London 2012, the USA remains a formidable force. They fell at the quarter-final stage in 2016 and secured a bronze medal at Tokyo 2020. This year, their goal is clear: reclaim the top spot on the podium.
Meanwhile, Zambia’s primary objective is to provide a competitive display in a challenging group that includes Germany and Australia.
The Copper Queens earned their place in Paris with a strong performance in the CAF Women’s Olympic qualifying tournament, overcoming Ghana and Morocco to secure their spot.
Zambia, still seeking their first Olympic win, will aim to improve on their 2021 performance when they managed only one point in the group stage.
While beating the USA is a daunting task, the Copper Queens will strive for a better outcome than their 10-3 defeat to the Netherlands in their previous Olympic opener.
The USA, with a 95.20% win probability according to bookmakers, is heavily favored to triumph. However, Zambia’s key players, such as Barbra Banda and Rachael Kundananji, will be crucial to their hopes of causing an upset.
Emma Hayes has made significant changes, including leaving out veteran forward Alex Morgan.
Her squad predominantly features players from the National Women’s Soccer League, with Emily Fox, Lindsey Horan, and Trinity Rodman among the key players. Zambia will miss Evarine Katongo and Susan Banda due to injuries but will rely on the offensive talents of Barbra Banda and Rachael Kundananji.
The game will be live on NBS Sport starting at 10 PM EAT.
