The Olympic torch has been lit in Paris, and already it’s shaping up to be a memorable soccer experience. There’s been drama, upsets, and knockouts at every turn, and here’s where you can get caught up.
As we head into the final round of the group stage games of the women’s soccer tournament, there’s still much to be determined. Eight of the twelve teams will make the knockout rounds and reach the quarterfinals. The U.S. and Spain have already secured their spot in the quarterfinals with the U.S. winning 4-1 over Germany and Spain beating Nigeria 1-0.
Sophia Smith, forward, shocked audiences as she scored twice before intermission despite coming off an ankle injury acquired in the opener. This marks the first season new U.S. coach Emma Hayes will have spent with the USWNT, and she’s clearly here to make her mark. Forwards Mallory Swanson and Trinity Rodman complete the devastating trio alongside Smith, earning a combined six goals in two matches. Hayes has called them “dynamic as hell” and audiences have to agree. They’re fun to watch, and satisfyingly efficient.
Courtesy of AP
There’s been some rocky starts to the Olympics for some teams, though. The Canada women’s team has faced extreme backlash as two of the assistant coaches were caught using drones to spy on New Zealand’s practices before their opening game on Wednesday. Coach Bev Priestman has apologized, agreeing to cooperate with the investigation. The team was deducted six points and Priestman has been banned from coaching for a year. The defending Olympic champions may still have a hope after beating France 2-1 on Sunday, but the win still leaves Canada pointless and in need of a victory against their next opponents, Colombia, in their final Group A game.
The players have stated that they had no part in the scandal, but nonetheless the sanctions will be enforced.
Courtesy of AP
Despite still being in the group stages, the pressure is on as powerhouses prepare to clash. Spain are the favorites to win, having won their first ever Women’s World Cup title a year ago. In contrast, the U.S. is looking to bounce back from their earliest exit at the Women’s World Cup ever.
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Lost on the standings? Here’s where everyone stands as of July 29:
Group A
Colombia: 3 points
France: 3 points
Canada: 0 points (Six point penalty)
New Zealand: 0 points
Group B
United States: 6 points
Germany: 3 points
Australia: 3 points
Zambia: 0 points
Group C
Spain: 3 points
Japan: 0 points
Brazil: 0 points
Nigeria: 0 points
The next matches are set for Wednesday, July 31. Quarterfinals will follow closely on August 3. You can stream the matches on Peacock or NBCOlympics.com.
Edited by: Sarah Muñoz
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