The U.S. women’s national team got off to a perfect start at the 2024 Paris Olympics, earning a dominant 3-0 victory against Zambia on Wednesday in Nice.
There were plenty of goals for the U.S., but also plenty of missed opportunities in a match where Zambia played the majority down a player. Pauline Zulu received a red card after a VAR check deemed her intentionally fouling and preventing Mallory Swanson from going through on goal.
In the opening 15 minutes, the U.S. hit the crossbar and post, shots went just wide, and Zambia defenders were forced to make clearances off the goal line. Trinity Rodman, who was one of the many players on the U.S. team making their Olympic debut, put all potential nerves to bed as she received a pass inside the box from captain Lindsey Horan and used her skills to break away from two opposing defenders and slide the ball past the goalkeeper to give her team a one-goal lead.
The second goal came from Mallory Swanson, who was a constant threat throughout the match. Swanson capitalized on a defensive error by Zambia, intercepting a poor clearance and calmly finishing past the goalkeeper to double the U.S. lead.
Swanson secured her brace and the final goal of the game in the closing minutes. After a well-timed run, she latched onto a through ball from Rose Lavelle and slotted it home, sealing the 3-0 victory for the U.S. team.
Despite the scoreline, the U.S. team missed several opportunities to extend their lead further. The Zambian goalkeeper made some impressive saves, and the U.S. forwards hit the woodwork multiple times. However, the dominant performance and solid defense ensured a comfortable win for the Americans.
This opening match victory sets a positive tone for the USWNT as they aim for Olympic gold, showcasing their depth and attacking prowess from the outset.
