At 3:00 AM on July 26, the Group B match of the women’s football tournament at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games will see the United States Women’s National Team (USWNT) face off against the Zambian Women’s National Team. According to the latest FIFA rankings, the USWNT has dropped one spot and is now ranked 5th in the world. The Zambian Women’s National Team has risen one spot and is now ranked 64th in the world, setting a new record high for the country. On paper, there is a significant disparity between the two teams. The media generally believes that the USWNT should easily secure their first victory, but is it really that simple?
In this tournament, alongside the US and Zambia, the teams in Group B also include the Australian Women’s National Team and the German Women’s National Team. The USWNT and the German Women’s National Team are widely considered by the media as the top contenders for the Olympic gold medal, although they may not be as hyped as the newly crowned World Cup champions, Spain. However, no one dares to underestimate the strength of these two nations’ women’s teams. The German Women’s National Team is ranked 4th in the world, while the Australian Women’s National Team is ranked 12th. Clearly, Zambia is seen as the underdog in this group. The likely scenario for this group is that the US and Germany will compete for the two direct qualification spots, while Australia will fight for one of the top three spots with the highest points. It is worth noting that the Zambian Women’s National Team has made remarkable progress over the past five years. Five years ago, they were ranked 119th in the world and virtually unknown; today, they have become one of the top four teams in African women’s football. Ignoring them could prove costly for other teams.
The USWNT has won the Olympic gold medal four times before. These victories came at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, the 2004 Athens Olympics, the 2008 Beijing Olympics, and the 2012 London Olympics. At the last Tokyo Olympics, the USWNT ended up winning the bronze medal. In comparison, Zambia’s performance in the Olympics has been much less impressive. Their debut appearance at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics saw them exit the competition early after one draw and two losses in the group stage.
USWNT head coach Hayes began assembling the Olympic squad in June this year, so her time to gel with the team has been limited. This US Olympic team includes Emily Fox from Arsenal, Corbin Albert from Paris Saint-Germain, and Lindsey Horan from Lyon. However, Alex Morgan’s absence means the team cannot field its strongest lineup. In 2024, the USWNT has played 12 matches with a record of eight wins, three draws, and one loss. However, in a test match before the Olympics, they were held to a 0-0 draw by Costa Rica. Failing to secure a victory before the official start of the Olympics casts an indescribable shadow over the USWNT’s prospects for this tournament.
Although the Zambian Women’s National Team has limited overall strength, it boasts two of the most expensive female football players in the world. Rachel Kundananji, who plays for Gulf FC in the American National Women’s Soccer League, and Barbara Banda of Orlando Pride. The former set a transfer record for female players with a fee of $860,000. The latter joined Orlando Pride from Shanghai Shengli for a transfer fee of $740,000. Currently, Orlando Pride leads the American National Women’s Soccer League, and Banda has scored 12 goals in 12 games, leading the scoring charts, in addition to providing five assists. An interesting fact is that before becoming a professional football player, Banda was a professional boxer. With such powerhouse players anchoring the team, the Zambian Women’s National Team can be confident going into the competition. Additionally, Grace Chanda will join Orlando Pride after the Olympics. Therefore, the strength of the Zambian Women’s National Team must not be underestimated.
This match marks the first encounter between these two women’s teams in a major international tournament. The Zambian Women’s National Team was the last team to secure qualification for the Olympics. Although their road to qualification was fraught with challenges, African teams often produce surprising results on the world stage, and the USWNT needs to remain vigilant. Despite once being the dominant force in women’s football, they have suffered setbacks in recent major tournaments, and their dominance has significantly diminished.
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