July 21 Sweden Tokyo, Japan (Tokyo Stadium) 5:30 p.m. local / 4:30 a.m. ET
July 24 New Zealand Saitama, Japan (Saitama Stadium) 8:30 p.m. local / 7:30 a.m. ET
July 27 Australia Kashima, Japan (Ibaraki Kashima Stadium) 5 p.m. local / 4 a.m. ET
“After waiting an extra year for this Olympics, the draw represents a real milestone in our journey and helps us focus in even more on our preparation and what we need to do to achieve our goals,” said U.S. Women’s National Team head coach Vlatko Andonovski. “We have great respect for all three of our group opponents and we know this tournament will push us to our limits both mentally and physically, as well as challenge us every game technically and tactically, so we will do everything we can in the next three months to prepare for success.”
Japan open with Canada in Group E
Here s how various coaches and players have been reacting to the draw
An exciting milestone on the road to Tokyo 2020 gold was reached on Wednesday when the official draw for the Women s Olympic Football Tournament was conducted in Zurich.
Hosts Japan will play Canada in their opening match in Group E, where they will also face Great Britain and Chile in the section. Group G looks especially intriguing as it features both co-hosts of the next FIFA Women’s World Cup™, Australia and New Zealand, and it also gives USA the chance for Olympic revenge over a Sweden side that eliminated them from Rio 2016 on penalties. China PR, Brazil, Zambia and the Netherlands comprise the other pool.
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Chance scored a stunning 30-yard strike in Sunday s W-League semi-final in Brisbane but it was academic as Melbourne Victory secured their spot in next weekend s grand final with a 6-2 win.
It was a deflating end to the 27-year-old s first W-League season, with Chance feeling an early decision not to award a goal to the Roar when Tameka Yallop s shot appeared to cross the line had proven pivotal. It s hard you know and we can t say anything negatively about the referees but we had the (assistant) referee on the line as well, Chance said. There s a lot there.
There s a lot there. Those little mistakes do add up and unfortunately it all seemed to be falling on our side those mistakes but what do you do? It s a football game. We don t have VAR and I wouldn t want that either. So it s which of the two evils really? Football Ferns coach Tom Sermanni was in the crowd for Sunday s game, with fellow Kiwis Claudia Bunge and Annalie Longo on the field for Victory. Chance said her focus will now switch to ensuring her international team is as prepared as it can be for the Olympics in July.
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