The U.S. Women's National team takes on France today in the opening match of the Women's Olympic Tournament, and arguably the best match of the group stage (Noon, NBC Sports).
The Americans enter the tournament having won the past two Olympic titles, but the lingering disappointment of last year's World Cup Final defeat is serving as motivation for a team considered the favorites to win gold again.
The French will look to get the USA off to a losing start, and they have the attacking weapons to do so, boasting one of the most dangerous attacks in women's soccer.
Here is my FOX Soccer preview on today's match, with a look at the changes Pia Sundhage has made to her team heading into this Olympic Tournament.
If you will be watching today's match, as well as the rest of today's Olympic soccer action, please feel free to share your thoughts, opinions and some play-by-play in the comments section below.
Enjoy the action.
I had no idea they start games before the opening ceremony.
Yeah, that took me by surprise.
Wow…meltdown by the U.S. Smh. 2-0 France in the 14th minute.
opps.. 2 nil france.. nice start :-/
Wow! What a header in traffic by Abby.
whew Wambach.. nice header to get one back 2-1
the flanks are open on the opposite side of the field vs. France, which plays well for the Americans becasue they can get time on the ball to tee up the crosses for Abby
That was a, “you can put 5 players on me if you want and I will still outmuscle you, outjump you and put the ball in the back of the net,” type header.
USA having a lot of trouble getting and maintaining possession.
Refs are really letting them play – should be advantage USA in that sense.
They will win this game…Unlike the men’s team, we have no problem at forward for the women.
this looks like one of my highschool games
Baby Horse!!
Alex gallops behind the defense and does a nice job of spinning, finding the ball and gently volleying it over the keepers head and into the back of the net for 2-2!
Morgan ties it 2-2.. looked offsides but flag stays down
Anyone know why Boxx subbed off?
Abby Wombach and Alex Morgan should get a try on the men’s squad. Great finishers!
Giddyup!!!
Game tracker on ussoccer.com pretty much says she went down injured and couldn’t continue.
She was hurt; I don’t know how.
injury of some kind…the energy has changed in favor of the USA since interestingly. not trying to swipe at the injured Boxx, just saying what seems to have happened to me
Morgan goal 1000000000000000000000% offsides but we will take it. Wow what an open match…low level defending and Gking from both sides. Btw, the commentators are completely clueless.
I’d say playing 3 D-mids is more at the root of USMNT’s scoring drought than anything else. Deuce, Herc, Jozy, and Lando have all proved they can all put the ball in the back of the net given decent service.
That being said, Abby and Alex are two of the best finishers in their sport.
would like to see USA work the ball from strong side to weak quickly thru possession…not yet, 40th minute.
relying on Hope a lot right now
Watching the game on TV, is it just me or is Brandi Christain…ten times better then Julie Foudy on the commentary side?
USA conditioning seems to be taking over. Our girls seem to have better legs and are winning most of the balls at this point.
Whaaaatt!!!!???? Baby horse lassoed from directly behind in a crazy obvious penalty but no call. Makes up for the missed offsides I guess. Alex absolutely blew by 2 defenders there. She is crazy fast.
Did I miss this whole “baby horse” thing? Did someone nickname her that?
No question that was a penalty. White and Chastain’s comments were ridiculous. Not sure how they thought that could be interpreted as a fair challenge.
She was actually onsides when hope solo kicked the ball then neither abby or the french girl touched the ball. Had one of them touched it then yes she would have been offsides. But yeah we will take a goal however we can get it!
She was NOT offside. She would have been if Wambach had touched the ball, but she didn’t. Excellent non-call by the AR.
Yes, team nickname, because her legs go all over the place when she runs – like a baby horse.
Boxx is such a detriment to this team. I live in Vancouver, so I went to the CONCACAF qualifiers. The USA is so much better when she’s off the field. Does she have pictures of the coach.
What missed offside? Alex’s goal was onside.
I wasn’t able to tell. Some others above said it was off.
Yes, tackle from directly behind is supposed to be automatic card, let alone a foul.
Not offside. Abby never touched the ball. Morgan was well onside with the long ball was played by Hope.
Yup, clear pk.
France is dangerously smooth with the ball and Brandy Chastain is too talkative.
USA playing aggressively direct early in the 2nd half…which is great for them imo
and then a little possession O in front of the area…nice, just weak finish by Lauren, she can do better with that on her next chance
and for me, O’Reilly for Heath might look good; Heath has struggled a bit
USA passes should be much quicker – one touch then pass. Instead, they are making 2,3,4 touches with teammates wide open.
I dig Lloyd’s game
Now that’s more like it!
Are the announcers call ahead of play for anybody else?
Goooooaaall!! Beautiful draw and dish by Rapinoe. Great cutback and absolute blast from the top of the box by Lloyd.
Rapinoe waited until the 2nd defender committed before laying it off. Lloyd cut it back perfectly and the shot… a thing of beauty.
I thought it was just me!
Now that one was not a penalty.
France getting away with just hacking down Alex in the box every time she gets the ball.
Just a hair.
I thought the first one was a good tackle, but the second one was a penalty.
Just because it’s shoulder to shoulder doesn’t mean you can just knock down the other player at will, especially when you make no attempt to play the ball.
Too easy that time
Alex Morgan for President!
and there it is…ball worked from one side to the other thru the middle and the space for Heath was the Great Plains!
As a referee myself, that looked 50/50 to me.
Watching a feed, no sound. Great diagonal ball to start that goal sequence. Who made it, Rapinoe?
yes, she made the play all the way with her first touch and all
Did anyone just hear that Weezer reference… “Los Angeles… that’s where she wants to beee!” (referring to Alex Morgan)
OK I’m weird seeya later
It looked to me like she used the shoulder as a weapon. They weren’t running together in classic shoulder to shoulder action, Alex was running free and the defender delivered a blow. As it is, no matter, since Baby Horse gets her revenge with a baby tap in.
Completely different team in the second half; no nerves, solid defending and strong possession. Nice work by Pia in the locker room.
Thank you
Yes, and conditioning also seems to be playing a factor. France seems to have worn themselves out after their frenzied first 30 minutes.
Best cheekbones: Amy Rodriguez, Hope Solo, Alex Morgan, or Gaetane Thiney??
Thiney for sure
I’m sure… except for the fact that all the “girls” you just dismissed could beat the snot out of you without breaking a sweat, Rockstar.
h-huh….
trying hard not be be tasteless here….
Rapinoe is a joy to watch.
France look tired – USA definitely have superior conditioning (as always)
Her’s really do stand out, especially at the end of a run where her face gets flushed, but for me it’s hard to beat Hope’s bone structure.
After a brief excursion into an alternate universe, normality was restored. Excellent comeback by the US.
She is sort of the x-factor for us. She has a creativity that no one else on the team can match. Like many creative playmakers, though, she has had the tendency to disappear at times. When she’s on, the team is completely different.
Hamstring trouble