USA Faces an Old Friend in Their Quest for Olympic Gold

Things are beginning to heat up. The women's football tournament reaches the knockout stages on Friday as the eight remaining teams look to take a step closer to Olympic glory.

Sweden and Australia are the outsiders, qualifying as the highest third-placed finishers, and they have the toughest task, taking on the USA and Brazil respectively.

Colombia rocked the boat slightly, taking the lead against the United States, they then struck late to steal a point.

Both goals could and should have been stopped by Hope Solo, but with qualification already assured, it was safe to say the collective foot came off the gas.

Michael Dantas/Associated Press

“We started off really well, on our front foot, but I think we got complacent and that's when we got scored on,” winger Crystal Dunn said after the Tuesday's draw, via MLSsoccer. “It's a lesson learned and obviously we're done with the group stage and we need to move forward.”

That blip perhaps comes at the best time. It gives Jill Ellis and her team a wake-up call and should see them regain focus of winning another Gold medal.

On Friday, they face an opponent they know very well, and someone who knows US soccer extremely well.

Pia Sundhage won two gold medals while coaching the US team in 2008 and 2012—plus they lost in the final of the 2011 FIFA World Cup.

She was the first foreign coach to take charge of the United States Women's National Team, paving the way for her opponent on Friday, but it seems like there is no love lost.

In an interview published by the New York Times in June, Sundhage spoke publicly about her former players, including the USA's current star, Carli Lloyd.

“Carli Lloyd was a challenge to coach, by the way,” Sundhage claimed during the interview. “When she felt that we had faith in her, she could be one of the best players. But if she began to question that faith, she could be one of the worst.”

After a stunning display in the knockout stages of the World Cup, including an amazing hat-trick in the final as they beat Japan 5-2, Lloyd is riding the crest of a wave at the moment and it has carried on through to the Olympics—scoring twice in three games.

She will be crucial in how far the US go and Sundhage will be hoping the forward comes down with a bout of self-doubt before Friday's match.

Sweden definitely have their own problems, issues that appeared during last summer's World Cup don't seem to have been solved.

A tense opening day victory over South Africa was supposed to be the starting point of their revival, but the Scandinavians were blown away by Brazil.

They were lucky to make it through to this stage at all. Playing out a goalless draw against China in their final game meant they both finished with four points. Only New Zealand's defeat to France saved them.

That's all in the past now though and Sweden have an opportunity to knock out the gold medal favourites. Any chance of that happening will depend on their defensive strength.

Poor against Brazil, they were made to pay. Ripped apart by Marta, Beatriz and Cristiane. Sundhage will look to her very experienced spine to improve, tighten and find a level they've not shown over the last 12 months.

Hedvig Lindahl in goal, Nilla Fischer, Lisa Dahlkvist, Caroline Seger and captain Lotta Schelin all have over 100 caps for their country. All five have experienced everything there is to offer in the women's game, won countless medals and now they need to find a way to rediscover their form.

The worry for Sweden is that this is when the US turn up the heat. They hadn't impressed in Canada before Carli Lloyd turned up and took control.

On Friday, Ellis will get to bring back her strongest XI, knowing that only three more wins will secure the gold.

The hope will be that Julie Johnstone can start alongside Becky Sauerbrunn in defence, with Megan Klingenberg and Kelley O'Hara at full-back. That is a tough back four to beat, especially with Sweden failing to impress so far.

Allie Long and Morgan Brian should be paired together in the centre of Ellis' 4-2-2, with Carli Lloyd playing just off Alex Morgan up front.

On the wings, Tobin Heath will definitely start, she has been impressive so far and there is a decision to make on who will play on the other side.

Mallory Pugh started the first game but had to watch Crystal Dunn get the nod in the last two games. The former came on for Megan Rapinoe against Colombia and scored, but that was after Dunn had equalised for the US in the first half. It's a difficult decision for Ellis to make.

Sweden will be dangerous at set-pieces, so perhaps the power and athleticism of Dunn will be a factor.

Interesting that both coaches were quite open in their pre-game press conference. Sundhage trying to deflect the pressure on to the favourites, while Ellis, suggesting that Sweden will park the bus, is hoping to tempt her opponents into coming out slightly more attacking.

One factor that may decide Friday's game could be the pitch. As reported by Sebastian Salazar of CSN, the quality of the surface in Brasilia looks a little patchy to say the least.

It's never easy to play a patient, passing type of football when the pitch is looking as bare and troublesome as it seemed to be on Thursday.

It does give Sweden a chance, but it's still up to them to take it and don't expect the USA to make it easy for them—they want that Gold medal.

The USA versus Sweden is the first quarter-final on Friday, that is followed by China against Germany in Salvador. Silvia Neid's team were beaten by Canada to finish the group stage, they look a little out of sorts and if they don't find a way to dominate, China could pounce.

Before the competition, France would have started favourites against Canada, but with John Herdman's team unbeaten at these Olympics, you wouldn't bet against them building on this run and winning a place in the semi-finals.

"This is a Canadian team that's very gritty, that's got a good spirit. And at this point, they're not overconfident ... there's a quiet confidence about them," he told Neil Davidson of The Canadian Press before travelling on Wednesday.

Finishing off the four quarter-finals matches is the big one. Brazil taking on Australia in Rio. With the home crowd right behind them and the team playing some excellent football, Australia may have recovered well after their opening game defeat to Canada, but it would be an almighty shock if the Matildas could repeat their victory over the South Americans from last year's World Cup.