Legends make history as Olympic 12 prepare
Women’s Olympic Football Tournament
16 Jun 2021
- Olympic participants warming up with friendlies
- Japan and USA looking strong, while Chile pulled off a great result
- Caroline Seger and Carli Lloyd make history
In just over a month, the Women’s Olympic Football Tournament will be getting underway in Tokyo. For those teams taking part, there is little time left to prepare, so many of them have taken the opportunity to play international friendlies to gauge their form. Here is a closer look at some of the countries.
Group E
Japan
Japan are among the favourites, and they certainly proved that in their friendlies against Ukraine and Mexico, thrashing the former 8-0. “It was great to score eight goals but there were plenty of periods when we didn’t manage to get possession of the ball, so this match showed us that we still need to aim for a higher level,” said the Nadeshiko’s Mana Iwabuchi afterwards. “We were able to adapt our game in the second half and make some improvements, so that’s a positive we can take from the match.” Three days later, coach Asako Takakura’s team defeated Mexico 5-1.
Player to watch: Yuzuho Shiokoshi
The 23-year-old made her international debut against Ukraine on the right side of midfield, and marked the occasion with a two-goal haul.
Canada
Things did not go quite according to plan for the North Americans, who put in a good performance against Czech Republic but failed to find the back of the net, with the match finishing 0-0. “If we want a medal, and not just any kind of medal, then we need to look after the ball more and put these chances away. We had some good openings but we have to convert them,” said Canada coach Bev Priestman. In their second friendly against Brazil, the team then also drew a blank. “I think that the players put in an incredible performance and gave it everything they’ve got,” said Priestman. “We took a step forward and while we didn’t manage to score a goal, we should be happy with the clean sheet.”
Chile
Chile, who are taking part in a Women’s Olympic Football Tournament for the first time, went down 1-0 to Slovakia in their opening friendly. In their second match, they crossed swords with no less an opponent than 2016 gold medal winners Germany, who will not be in Tokyo this time around. Anyone who thought that the reigning Olympic champions would stroll to victory was very much mistaken, with the teams playing out a 0-0 draw in Offenbach. This was a result to be proud of for Chile, who were facing Germany for just the second time in their history.
Group F
Brazil
Pia Sundhage has already won Olympic gold twice as a coach, both times with USA. Now she is gunning for a medal at the helm of Brazil, and after a 3-0 win over Russia, A Seleção were brimming with confidence ahead of their clash with Canada. A fiercely-contested match ended up in a goalless draw, but Sundhage’s team nevertheless looked strong up front in their final warm-up for Tokyo 2020, while also neutralising the Canadians’ attacks at the other end of the pitch.
Player to watch: Bruna Benites
She captained her country at London 2012, before going on to win the Copa America Femenina two years later and was also in the squad for Rio 2016. Injuries prevented her taking part in the FIFA Women’s World Cup™, both in Canada in 2015 and in France in 2019, but the 35-year-old is currently in the form of her life, scoring twice against Russia.
Netherlands
The France 2019 finalists got their Olympic warm-ups off to a disappointing start, slipping to a 1-0 defeat to Italy. Le Azzurre were the surprise package two years ago at the Women’s World Cup, playing an efficient attacking brand of football and making it all the way to the quarter-finals before losing 2-0 to none other than the OranjeLeeuwinnen. This loss at the hands of Italy seemed to be the wake-up call that Sarina Wiegman’s team needed, and five days later, they put that disappointment behind them and inflicted a 7-0 trouncing on a Norway side admittedly without star players Caroline Graham Hansen and Maren Mjelde. This was the Netherlands’ biggest-ever win over the Norwegians.
Group G
USA
When it comes to Olympic medals, no country has a better return than USA with four golds and a silver in six tournaments. This time around, they will clearly be going for gold once again, as they showed by beating Portugal in the opener at the 2021 WNT Summer Series, even if it was only a narrow 1-0 win. Although it took until late in the second half for the only goal of the game, the Stars and Stripes dominated both up front and at the back. They then followed that with a 4-0 win over Jamaica in their second fixture.
Player to watch: Carli Lloyd
Against Jamaica, Lloyd recorded the team’s second-fastest-ever goal, getting on the score-sheet after just 23 seconds, and at 38 years and 332 days, she is also the oldest goalscorer in USWNT history.
Sweden
Before facing Australia, Sweden eked out a 1-0 win over Norway after neat work from Kosovare Asllani set up Stina Blackstenius in the 66th minute. “We need players who can operate in a number of different positions and that is what we have to concentrate on in the two matches that we have now,” said coach Peter Gerhardsson on svenskfotboll.se. “We know which players will be available, so these games will be the last piece of the puzzle that need to fall into place.” How that puzzle looks after a 0-0 draw with Australia is uncertain, but the proof will come on 21 July when they take on USA.
Player to watch: Caroline Seger
Sweden’s captain made history by surpassing Therese Sjogran’s record for appearances for her country, the latter having made 214, the same number as Birgit Prinz. “I am really proud of this. Breaking the record with this fantastic team on home soil was certainly something special,” said Seger after winning her 215th cap against Australia. “Therese told me that records are made to be broken. And she said that she could think of no better player to break this one. Those are great words from an incredible person and an outstanding footballer.”
Australia
Australia scored twice in the last five minutes of their match with Denmark, but any good work had already been undone in advance by ten minutes of utter chaos in the first half which meant that the Danes ran out 3-2 winners. “You’re always disappointed to lose and it’s even tougher when you feel that you really shouldn’t have lost the match,” said coach Tony Gustavsson to the media after the game before turning his attentions to the following match, where his charges battled it out to a 0-0 draw against Sweden in Kalmar.
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Players of Sweden celebrate victory over Norway
10 Jun 2021
Players of Sweden after the International Friendly, Länderspiel, Nationalmannschaft football match between Sweden and Norway on June 10, 2021 in Kalmar.
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Caroline Seger and Emma Kullberg of Sweden celebrate a win over Norway
10 Jun 2021
**IMAGO / Bildbyran** 210610 Caroline Seger and Emma Kullberg of Sweden celebrates after the International Friendly, Länderspiel, Nationalmannschaft football match between Sweden and Norway on June 10, 2021 in Kalmar.
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Stina Blackstenius of Sweden celebrates with Kosovare Asllani
10 Jun 2021
Players of Sweden after the International Friendly, Länderspiel, Nationalmannschaft football match between Sweden and Norway on June 10, 2021 in Kalmar.
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Italy v Netherlands – Women International Friendly
11 Jun 2021
FERRARA, ITALY – JUNE 10: Italian players celebrate the victory during the women international friendly match between Italy and Netherlands at Stadio Paolo Mazza on June 10, 2021 in Ferrara, Italy. (Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images)
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Italian players celebrate the victory during the women international friendly match between Italy and Netherlands
11 Jun 2021
FERRARA, ITALY – JUNE 10: Italian players celebrate the victory during the women international friendly match between Italy and Netherlands at Stadio Paolo Mazza on June 10, 2021 in Ferrara, Italy. (Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images)
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The USWNT Starting XI
11 Jun 2021
HOUSTON, TX – JUNE 10: The USWNT Starting XI pose for a team photo before the 2021 WNT Summer Series friendly against Portugal at BBVA Stadium on June 10, 2021 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Alex Bierens de Haan/Getty Images)
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Megan Rapinoe #15 of the United States controls the bal
11 Jun 2021
HOUSTON, TX – JUNE 10: Megan Rapinoe #15 of the United States controls the ball during the 2021 WNT Summer Series friendly against Portugal at BBVA Stadium on June 10, 2021 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Alex Bierens de Haan/Getty Images)
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Samantha Mewis #3 of the United States celebrates her teammates after scoring
11 Jun 2021
HOUSTON, TX – JUNE 10: Samantha Mewis #3 of the United States celebrates her teammates after scoring a goal against Portugal in the second half of the 2021 WNT Summer Series friendly at BBVA Stadium on June 10, 2021 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Alex Bierens de Haan/Getty Images)
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Italian players celebrate
10 Jun 2021
FERRARA, ITALY – JUNE 10: Italian players celebrate the victory during the women international friendly match between Italy and Netherlands at Stadio Paolo Mazza on June 10, 2021 in Ferrara, Italy. (Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images)
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Japan v Mexico – Women’s International Friendly
13 Jun 2021
UTSUNOMIYA, JAPAN – JUNE 13: Momoka Kinoshita (4th R) of Japan celebrates scoring her side’s fourth goal with her team mates during the women’s international friendly match between Japan and Mexico at Kanseki Stadium Tochigi on June 13, 2021 in Utsunomiya, Tochigi, Japan. (Photo by Masterpress/Getty Images)
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Japan v Mexico – Women’s International Friendly
13 Jun 2021
UTSUNOMIYA, JAPAN – JUNE 13: Emi Nakajima of Japan in action during the women’s international friendly match between Japan and Mexico at Kanseki Stadium Tochigi on June 13, 2021 in Utsunomiya, Tochigi, Japan. (Photo by Masterpress/Getty Images)
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Sjoeke Nuesken of Germany is challenged by Francisca Lara of Chile
15 Jun 2021
OFFENBACH, GERMANY – JUNE 15: Sjoeke Nuesken of Germany is challenged by Francisca Lara of Chile during the Women’s International Friendly match between Germany and Chile at Stadion Bieberer Berg on June 15, 2021 in Offenbach, Germany. (Photo by Simon Hofmann/Getty Images)
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Christiane Endler of Chile makes a save against Sjoeke Nuesken and Jule Brand (C) of Germany
15 Jun 2021
OFFENBACH, GERMANY – JUNE 15: Christiane Endler of Chile makes a save against Sjoeke Nuesken and Jule Brand (C) of Germany during the Women’s International Friendly match between Germany and Chile at Stadion Bieberer Berg on June 15, 2021 in Offenbach, Germany. (Photo by Simon Hofmann/Getty Images)
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Germany v Chile – Women’s International Friendly
15 Jun 2021
OFFENBACH, GERMANY – JUNE 15: Sjoeke Nuesken of Germany is challenged by Francisca Lara and Karen Araya of Chile (R) during the Women’s International Friendly match between Germany and Chile at Stadion Bieberer Berg on June 15, 2021 in Offenbach, Germany. (Photo by Simon Hofmann/Getty Images)
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Sweden v Australia – Women’s International Friendly
15 Jun 2021
KALMAR, SWEDEN – JUNE 15: Filippa Angeldahl of Sweden and Emily van Egmond of Australia during the Women’s International Friendly match between Sweden and Australia at Guldfageln Arena on June 15, 2021 in Kalmar, Sweden. (Photo by David Lidstrom/Getty Images)
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Sweden v Australia – Women’s International Friendly
15 Jun 2021
KALMAR, SWEDEN – JUNE 15: Magdalena Eriksson of Sweden and Emily Gielnik of Australia during the Women’s International Friendly match between Sweden and Australia at Guldfageln Arena on June 15, 2021 in Kalmar, Sweden. (Photo by David Lidstrom/Getty Images)
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Margaret Purce #20 of United States celebrates with Carli Lloyd #10, Christen Press #23 and Catarina Macario #11
14 Jun 2021
HOUSTON, TX – JUNE 13: Margaret Purce #20 of United States celebrates with Carli Lloyd #10, Christen Press #23 and Catarina Macario #11 after Purces goal during the first half of the 2021 WNT Summer Series friendly between Jamaica and The United States at BBVA Stadium on June 13, 2021 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Alex Bierens de Haan/Getty Images)
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Jamaica v United States – 2021 WNT Summer Series
14 Jun 2021
HOUSTON, TX – JUNE 13: Carli Lloyd #10 of United States celebrates scoring a goal with her teammates during the first half of the 2021 WNT Summer Series friendly between Jamaica and The United States at BBVA Stadium on June 13, 2021 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Alex Bierens de Haan/Getty Images)
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Carli Lloyd #10 of United States celebrates scoring a goal
14 Jun 2021
HOUSTON, TX – JUNE 13: Carli Lloyd #10 of United States celebrates scoring a goal during the first half of the 2021 WNT Summer Series friendly between Jamaica and The United States at BBVA Stadium on June 13, 2021 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Alex Bierens de Haan/Getty Images)
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