(April 21, 2008) – For a U.S. squad that so desperately wants a re-match that the players will trek all the way to Brazil - at least in a new Dodge Journey commercial that began airing on April 15 - Sunday’s Olympic draw made clear that if the two sides’ play holds to form they won’t meet unless both advance to the Gold Medal match.
Last September at the 2007 FIFA Women’s World Cup, the U.S. entered the semifinals with an unblemished record against Brazil in world championship events. By the time the semifinal mercifully ended, Marta and company were sambaing on history’s dance floor in the wake of a 4-0 thrashing of the red, white and blue.
The loss was the worst ever for the U.S. Women’s National Team and left the players with a thirst for revenge at the 2008 Olympics. Now the U.S. knows the setting and its antagonists for the first act of what it hopes will be a redemption story.
(Brad Smith/isiphotos.com)
Lori Chalupny and her U.S. teammates are seeking to bring their best performances to the 2008 Olympics where they will face Norway, Japan and New Zealand during group play.
Drawn into Group G as the top seed, the U.S. will face Norway, Japan and New Zealand during the Olympic tournament’s first stage.
“I’m very excited about the challenge of the draw overall,” said U.S. head coach Pia Sundhage. “…We will play three very different teams with very different styles of play, which will test our ability to adapt in a world championship tournament with just a few days rest between games.”
The U.S. opens its Olympic quest on August 6 in Qinhuangdao, China against Norway, a team it has beaten in the past two World Cups. In Olympic competition, the U.S. holds a 2-1 advantage including an overtime victory in the semifinals of the 1996 Atlanta Games. Norway, however, was victorious in the teams’ most recent Olympic meeting, a 3-2 overtime win in the 2000 Final.
Earlier this spring, the U.S. rolled to a 4-0 win over Norway at the Algarve Cup. The two sides are scheduled to meet again a month prior to the Games as Norway will host the Americans in Fredrikstad on July 2 in a match the Norwegian Federation has already announced.
“We know that Norway is a very strong team, that they are very well organized and very focused on transition,” said Sundhage. “When you play Norway, it is very much a game of transition and we will need to be very patient and find the right moments in our attacking. They are also very good with set plays so we will need to be sharp in our defending in that area as well.”
The U.S. will remain in Qinhuangdao, a city approximately 225 kilometers east of Beijing, for an August 9 match against Japan. At the 2004 Athens Games, the U.S. edged Japan, 2-1, in the quarterfinals with Abby Wambach nearly walking the game-winner into the goal after the Japanese failed to execute an offside trap. While Japan has never registered a victory against the U.S., its play has continued to improve in recent years.
“Japan is a very technical team and every player is very comfortable with the ball,” said Sundhage. “We will need to be well organized on defense playing against Japan as they like to move the ball around quickly. They have very high expectations and their goal will be to win a medal. They have great fighting spirit and all of their players are fast and quick.”
To conclude group play, the U.S. will travel to Shenyang, lying approximately 275 kilometers northeast of Beijing, to face New Zealand. The weakest entry in Group G, the Kiwis, who did not score a goal at the 2007 FIFA Women’s World Cup, will be making their Olympic debut.
“New Zealand is an up-and-coming team, a very interesting team and one that has improved a lot with the new head coach,” Sundhage said. “We will need to be on top of our game in order to overcome their enthusiasm. They have played in the World Cup and have some international tournament experience so we respect their willingness to work very hard all over the field and we appreciate their excitement of playing in an Olympics.”
Winning Group G would send the U.S. to Shanghai for a quarterfinal against a third place team from either Group E or F and a potential semifinal against the top side from Group E, which features China, Sweden, Canada and Argentina.
If the U.S. finishes second in Group G, it will do so at its own peril as the second-place team from Group G will meet Group F’s best team in the quarterfinals. Group F, “The Group of Death”, includes 2007 Women’s World Cup Champion Germany, Brazil, North Korea and Nigeria.
The U.S. would prefer not to see a top-two side from Group F until the Gold Medal is on the line. Still, the coaching staff and players are aware that any opponent could pose a stiff challenge.
“It’s exciting to know our path in the Olympics, but every team that qualifies for the Olympics is there for a reason,” said defender Lori Chalupny. “They all have qualities that make them the best in their regions and we know they will bring those qualities to the Olympics. Our goal is to make sure we also show our best in those games.
In other words, bring on the re-match.
Karyn Lush is a regular contributor to womensprosoccer.com and can be reached at karyn.lush@womensprosoccer.com . The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author's, and not necessarily those of Women’s Professional Soccer or womensprosoccer.com.