The U.S. women opened the 2024 Olympics looking more dangerous than they did in their poor World Cup last year. The USWNT has turned the page.
As fans questioned whether the U.S. women’s national team was ready for the 2024 Olympics after a disastrous World Cup campaign last year, head coach Emma Hayes asked for patience as the team worked through growing pains.
The answers came quickly in the USWNT’s opener of the Olympics in France.
The Americans scored three goals in the opening 25 minutes to defeat Zambia 3-0 on Thursday and, despite a quieter second half, they looked convincing in the win. Trinity Rodman’s brilliant spin-turn created space for a flashy opening goal before Mallory Swanson scored twice in a minute to punctuate the flying start from the four-time Olympic gold-medalists.
The USWNT’s performance featured a proficiency that was lacking in recent matches and an intensity that was rarely seen from the Americans at last year’s World Cup. It is exactly the start the Americans needed amid doubts about their place among the world’s elite after a round-of-16 exit last year — the team’s worst World Cup in history.
Yes, Zambia played nearly an hour of the match down a player, but the USWNT was dominant and scored three times well before Pauline Zulu was sent off for denying a goal-scoring opportunity. Lindsey Horan nearly found the net 30 seconds into the match after fullback Emily Fox danced into the penalty area. Rodman hit the crossbar nine minutes into the match and Swanson did the same five minutes later.
The breakthrough came just as it felt like history was repeating itself from the wasteful, scoreless draw in the Americans‘ sendoff game against Costa Rica nine days earlier. The feelings of déjà vu were quickly erased in Nice, France as Sophia Smith drifted to the left touchline and tip-toed around defenders and found Horan, whose ball to Rodman assisted the magical opening goal.
This was the USWNT attack the Americans hoped to have on the world stage last year, but one that never showed up at the World Cup.
Rodman has arguably been the USWNT’s most important player — certainly in the attack — over the past year.
