USWNT Zambia Recap: Lady Yanks Win Olympics Opener

NICE, France – The United States Women’s National Soccer Team (USWNT) opened its hunt for Olympic gold by easily defeating FIFA’s 64th-ranked Zambia, 3-0 in the South of France.

The USWNT now has opened the Olympic tournament with a victory in six of eight all-time appearances. The competitive victory was the first under new head coach, Emma Hayes.

Mallory Swanson led the Lady Yanks by scoring twice. She was assisted by none other than her Colorado teammates – Lindsey Horan and Sophia Smith.

The U.S. dominated play by controlling the ball 80% of the time. They unleashed 27 shots, of which, eight were on goal. Yet, only three found the back of the net in the first half. None in the second, despite Zambia playing with one woman down. 

Trinity Rodman struck first for the U.S. in the 17th minute. Sophia Smith broke away dribbling down the left side of the pitch. It created an opening for a pass to Horan in the midfield near the top of the box. Horan swifty dished the ball to Rodman inside the penalty area. She spun like a children’s toy top and proceeded to swat the ball past Zambia’s goalkeeper, Ng’ambo Musole, at the 17-minute mark.

Next, it was Swanson’s turn to score. Once again, Smith found Horan, who was deep in the penalty zone. Horan shoveled the ball to Swanson, who danced around the baffled ‘keeper and finished on the left side of the net.

A mere seventy seconds later, Swanson scored again. Rose Lavelle vacuumed up a free ball near midfield. She slotted the ball to Smith, who was to her left. Smith looked up and eyed Swanson galloping into the box. She found her fellow Real Colorado alumnus with a great pass with the outside of her foot. Swanson one-touched the brilliant pass and set the ball into the net. 

Both Rodman and Swanson could have added more goals to their matchplay stats. Both got off impressive shots on goal, yet were denied by the stift crossbar.

Swanson’s brace was the first multi-goal game by any player at the 2024 Olympics, and she is now just the sixth player in USWNT history to score multiple goals in an Olympic match, joining Tiffeny Milbrett, Angela Hucles, Alex Morgan, Carli Lloyd, and Megan Rapinoe.

Post-game, U.S. Soccer reported that Horan is the fifth player in U.S.WNT history with multiple assists in an Olympic match. The Rush Soccer product joins Mia Hamm, Heather O’Reilly, Megan Rapinoe, and Julie Ertz.

Smith’s assist on Swanson’s second goal was the 10th of her career and her second career assist at a world championship. She also set up Horan’s goal in the USA’s opening win of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in New Zealand.

In the first half, there were six additional point-blank shots on goal, including a handsome bounce try by Horan, but much to the dismay of the Yanks and Hayes, Zambia’s goalkeeper and their swarming defenders kept the ball out of the goal. The U.S. could have been up 8-0 at halftime.

Team USA’s chipper manager spoke after the match. “The first part of the first half was exceptional. To come out the way we did, the intention, the intensity, the decision-making, the execution, it should have been at least 5-0 at halftime. There were things within our structure I didn’t like. But that’s easy fixes.” 

She added, “If we had asked me at the beginning of the game, ‘Would you be happy with a 3-0 winner?’ I probably would have said no. However, for the performance and the chances created and finding the back of the net, I don’t want to be too hard on the players.”

With the win, Hayes was able to rest tired legs ahead of an anticipated blockbuster match against FIFA’s 4th-ranked Germany this Saturday. Two days rest is all the 16-player teams receive in Group Stage play.

That is rest the USWNT will need. Several players absorbed heavy hits, including Smith, who came off of the pitch at the 43rd mark and was unable to return. The match was played on the French Rivera, a stone’s throw from the Mediterranean Sea. The heat and humidity are intense during the height of the summer season. Charming Nice is sandwiched between the ocean to the south and the dominating French Alps to the north. 

“We’re all starting to come around to the way Emma has wanted us to play, the principles, and it’s been really enjoyable just being able to learn different things and trying to apply them,” Swanson said during her post-match presser. “It’s a good start. But there are little things within that game, within the play, that we just need to fine-tune.”

The USA’s trek will continue on Sunday, July 28, against Deutschland’s National Eleven at the Stade de Marseille in Marseille, some two and half hours by luxury bus from Nice. The USA holds a 23W-5L-7D all-time advantage in the series. See the updated group standings here.

Photo Credit: John Babiak

Thank you for reading Burgundy Wave. Support us via our Patreon starting at $5/month. We’re always looking for new talent. Let us know if you’re interested in covering Colorado Soccer.