In the 18th minute, Smith won a 50-50 ball on the left flank, advanced and made a pass. Horan delivered a diagonal ball into the box, and Rodman cleverly flicked it with her heel to turn and coolly slot it into the net, breaking the deadlock for the US women’s team, 1-0!
In the 24th minute, Horan played a stylish outside-of-the-foot pass from the edge of the area, and Swanson got in behind to score, extending the US lead to 2-0!
In the 26th minute, Horan dispossessed the opposition in the front third and Lavarnier played a diagonal pass. Smith selflessly squared the ball from the left, and Swanson was there to finish, scoring again to put the US up 3-0.
In the 34th minute, Dunn broke down the left flank and was about to enter the box when she was fouled by Zulu. After consulting VAR, the referee showed Zulu a red card, leaving Zambia with ten players.
At 3:00 AM on July 26, the first round of Group B matches in the 2024 Paris Olympic women’s football tournament saw the United States take on Zambia.
Just 30 seconds after kick-off, Rodman used her pace to break through on the right, delivering a cutback pass, but Horan’s shot went just wide.
In the 4th minute, Pugh delivered a cross from the right, and Smith’s close-range shot was saved easily by Musonda.
In the 9th minute, Horan delivered another cross from the right, and Rodman’s shot hit the crossbar and bounced out.
In the 13th minute, Rodman crossed from the right, and Smith’s pass into the box found Horan, whose powerful shot was blocked by Kunda.
Zambia then launched a quick counterattack, with Banda using her speed to advance towards the penalty area, but her low shot was saved by Naeher.
In the 15th minute, Dunn delivered a cross from the left, and Swanson’s header hit the crossbar again. Horan’s follow-up shot was blocked on the line by Zulu, and Rodman’s long-range effort was saved by Musonda. Zambia were under siege in their own box.
In the 44th minute, Williams delivered a set-piece cross from the right, but Rodman’s close-range header went wide!
At halftime, the US led Zambia 3-0.
In the 53rd minute, Mubanga played a through ball from the edge of the area, and Banda was about to break through one-on-one, but Davidson made a precise tackle, and Naeher collected the ball.
In the 56th minute, Williams crossed from the right, and Horan played a through ball without stopping the ball, and Albert’s chip shot was saved by Musonda.
In the 59th minute, Albert crossed from the right, and Rodman cut inside to shoot, narrowly missing the far post.
In the 65th minute, the US made wholesale substitutions, bringing on Krueger, Sonnett, and Naeher, while Rodman, Horan, and Swanson were taken off.
In the 80th minute, Gilmar made a precise pass, and Dunn delivered a cross from the right, but Krueger’s shot was blocked.
In the 89th minute, Williams laid the ball off, and Krueger crossed, but Dunn’s header sailed over the bar.
The score remained unchanged for the remainder of the match, with the US securing a 3-0 win over Zambia. In their next match, they will face Germany.
United States Starting XI (4-2-3-1):
1-Naeher; 7-Dunn; 4-Gilmar; 12-Davidson; 2-Fox; 10-Horan (65′ 14-Sonnett); 11-Smith (44′ 8-Williams); 16-Lavarnier (46′ 3-Albert); 5-Rodman (65′ 6-Krueger); 17-Coffey; 9-Swanson (65′ 13-Naeher);
Substitutes: 18-Murphy; 20-Beshears;
Zambia Starting XI (4-1-4-1):
18-Musonda; 3-Mwamba; 13-Tembo; 4-Syanfu; 5-Zulu; 17-Kunda; 11-Barbara Banda; 10-Grace Chanda (38′ 16-Musunga); 15-Helen Chanda; 14-Kachilufya (38′ 12-Chitundu); 9-Mubanga;
Substitutes: 1-Musonda; 6-Chilishi; 7-Zulu; 8-Lubandji; 2-Diana Banda;
