China Looking to Upset Favourites USA in Opening Day of Olympic Fixtures
Even before the opening ceremony for the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics dazzles and delights the world, the group stage of the women's football tournament will be well under way, with all 12 nations taking to the field on Wednesday.
Sweden take on South Africa in the opening game of the competition, with the European side looking to bounce back from a terrible World Cup performance with a medal bid in Brazil.
Pia Sundhage's team has an experienced spine, and the coach knows what it takes to win a gold medal, having been successful with the United States in 2008 and 2012.
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In Canada, Sundhage failed to find a way to get the best out of her most influential players, Caroline Seger and Lotta Schelin. The latter makes this team tick, and if her team-mates can get her involved and into her groove quickly, then the Scandinavians should have too much for the South Africans.
If Schelin is quiet, Sweden can become frustrated and look void of ideas. That's where Vera Pauw's team can pounce. The 22-year-old Jermaine Seoposenwe has scored twice in just three games for the Banyana Banyana and if she can continue that form, we could have a shock on our hands.
Canada take on Australia in the second game, followed by the big one, as hosts Brazil open their campaign against Bruno Bini's dangerous Chinese team.
Brazil have hopes and dreams of going one step further than their previous Olympic best and winning gold, but they will need to be up for the fight in their opening fixture.
China's coach has made it clear that he is focused on winning a medal at Rio, however, his best forward, 26-year-old Wang Shanshan, was trying to play down his claims, trying to focus on the experience she and her team-mates would gain from being at the games.
"This team is pretty young," she told FIFA.com. "We felt much more tense at the start of the previous Women’s World Cup, but through training and playing we gradually relaxed and found our feet. We aim to get satisfying results but we are still lacking in experience. We need to learn and improve.”
"I became more confident after the Women's World Cup and Asian Olympic qualifying," she added. "But I need to run harder and fight for the ball. We want to prove ourselves. But we should be aware that there is a gap between us and the strong teams. We should focus on improving our play when playing against the world's best."
The longer China can keep the game level the more chance there is that the home fans will become frustrated, that's when Brazil's opponents will have a chance.
| 5 p.m. | Sweden vs. South Africa | Group E |
| 7 p.m. | Canada vs. Australia | Group F |
| 8 p.m. | Brazil vs. China | Group E |
| 10 p.m. | Zimbabwe vs. Germany | Group F |
| 11 p.m. | United States vs. New Zealand | Group G |
| 2 a.m. (Thursday) | France vs. Colombia | Group G |
Germany will face off against the tournament's underdogs, Zimbabwe, and although people will be hoping for a fairytale, Vfl Wolfsburg forward Alexandra Popp wanted to make it clear that the World Cup semi-finalists are in Brazil looking for the top spot.
Popp told FIFA.com:
"We're going to the tournament to win gold. That's our aim. I think we've got the quality to compete for the title.
We've learned a lot in the last few years, especially last year at the World Cup. We've got players here who picked up a lot of experience at the World Cup. It may be a different competition now, but we're in tournament mode. We've developed in terms of our playing style too, and we're a really good team. Our quality out on the pitch has also gone up a notch since last year. That's why I've got a good feeling that things can work out this year.
"
Just as they did against Ivory Coast in Canada—winning 10-0—Silvia Neid's team, with the likes of Dzsenifer Marozsan and Anja Mittag pulling the strings, will want to put on a strong opening performance in Sao Paulo.
The Mighty Warriors are ready, though. No one is expecting much from the Africans, beaten 3-0 by China in a friendly before the tournament, but as long as Shadreck Mlauzi's squad do their best, it will be a great experience for the team.
Winning the World Cup last summer put the United States back on the top of the women's football pyramid, and there is no way that Jill Ellis' team is going to give up that spot without a fight.
The Olympic champions open the defence of their crown against New Zealand, a game that the USA will be expected to win and perhaps win well.
Ferns defender Ali Riley, who went to school in Los Angeles, is relishing the challenge that their tough draw will bring.
“We have a really hard group, but this team is ready to show the world something,” she told FIFA.com. “We have high expectations and we want to show that we can compete with these teams in our group.”
Many of Tony Readings' team have been playing together for the past 10 years, and the squad boasts six players, including Riley, who have earned over 100 caps for their country
“A group of us started out together at the 2006 Under-20 World Cup in Russia,” said Riley. “It’s awesome that we have been on this journey together.
“Looking at how much the game has changed in New Zealand; we have been pioneers. I would love to earn another 100 caps, but when I hang up the boots I know the team will be in good hands.”
That next generation includes forward Hannah Wilkinson, Rebekah Stott of Claudelands Rovers and Liverpool Ladies forward Rosie White. Still only 23 years old, White has 81 caps and 14 goals for her country, but it still might not be enough to beat a star-studded U.S. side.
The final game of the first round of fixtures sees the much-fancied France take on Colombia.
For Philippe Bergeroo's talented squad there are two reasons to perform in Wednesday's opener.
It was the same spirited South American side that inflicted defeat on the French last summer, with all but two of Les Bleues' Olympic squad having played in Canada, they will want to prove that was a one-off and will hope to exact some level of revenge.
They have some unfinished business in this tournament, too. Four years ago, they were the dominant side in the bronze-medal match against Canada, but a failure to take their chances—a trait of the French women's team—saw them pay the price and an injury-time winner from their opponents meant they left London empty-handed.
France will be feeling the pressure, too, as they have often failed to perform in tournaments when it counts. That needs to end, and with talents such as Louisa Necib, Marie-Laure Delie and Eugenie Le Sommer, it should only be a matter of time before it all comes together and Les Bleues are successful.
Nothing is won or lost on the first day of a tournament, but that doesn't mean it's not filled with intrigue and excitement.
