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The Top Threats To The USWNT's Quest For Olympic Gold 

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The Olympic ladies' soccer competition starts Wednesday in Japan, with Great Britain versus Chile starting off at 3:30 a.M. ET as the first of six gathering round games that day. The U.S. Follows an hour after the fact with its opener versus Sweden, and extra gathering matches on July 24 and July 27 will go before the knockout rounds, with a possible gold-decoration match occurring on Aug. 5 (it'll Aug. 6 in Tokyo). 

The competition highlights 12 groups, with the FIFA world No. 1 USWNT being generally viewed as the top choice. The U.S. Has not lost since a street rout to France in January 2019 (44 matches), and it's endeavoring to turn into the primary ruling Women's World Cup champion to win the ensuing Olympic gold decoration (also, meaning to vindicate its stunning Olympic quarterfinal leave five years prior). 

The way to the platform, be that as it may, wo a few recognizable heavyweights. France, the world's No. 3 positioned group, won't highlight in Japan on account of European capability manages (the confederation's three Olympic spots went to the three nations that completed most elevated at the '19 World Cup), and No. 2 positioned Germany will not get an opportunity to protect its 2016 gold award for a similar explanation. Spain, a rising danger in the ladies' down, will not be there, either, after its round-of-16 exit to the U.S. Two years prior. 

Notwithstanding those unlucky deficiencies, interest actually proliferates as the remainder of the world attempts to thump the U.S. Off its roost. Also, in case you're a fanatic of disorder and dark horses, consider that if the USWNT doesn't win gold, we are ensured to get a first-time ladies' Olympic boss. The competition groupings are as per the following (Groups A-D are essential for the men's competition, which starts off Thursday): 

Gathering E: Great Britain, Canada, Japan, Chile 

Gathering F: Netherlands, Brazil, China, Zambia 

Gathering G: United States, Sweden, Australia, New Zealand 

Who should U.S. Fans be generally worried about? We separate the seven groups well on the way to hold up traffic. 

The Netherlands and Sweden are forces to be reckoned with at the Olympics 

Dad Images/Sipa USA 

Top dangers 

Netherlands 

FIFA world positioning: fourth 

The U.S's. 2019 last adversary is sneaking again in these Olympics. The Dutch ought to be viewed as the top choice to win Group F, and doing so could put them on another title crash course with the U.S. (should the two nations win their particular gatherings, they would be on inverse sides of the knockout section). The Netherlands is driven by Arsenal's Vivianne Miedema, one of the world's head strikers at age 25, just as Barcelona forward Lieke Martens, Manchester United midfielder Jackie Groenen and PSV goalkeeper Sari van Veenendaal, the remainder of whom gave the U.S. Fits in said World Cup last. The U.S. Effectively kept Miedema and the Dutch assault under control in that game, yet she'll be a significant key to any gold award push this group makes in Japan. 

By and large, scoring isn't an issue for the Netherlands. The Dutch can set up objectives in packs and have counted some eye-popping results in 2021, beating Australia 5–1, Belgium 6–1 and Norway 7–0. In any case, 1–0 losses to Italy and Spain, just as a 2–0 misfortune on home soil to the United States last November (a game that had key nonappearances on the two sides, including Miedema), show they are as yet attempting to get over that last obstacle since blasting onto the scene by winning the Women's Euros in 2017. 

This competition is likewise a farewell for Dutch mentor Sarina Wiegman, who has carried this league to the cusp of worldwide brilliance and is taking the England ladies' work in September. Finishing her residency on a high, however, may require squeezing the U.S. That they've neglected to do in the sides' last two gatherings. That beginnings in the midfield, where Groenen, Lyon's Daniëlle van de Donk and others will assume a crucial part in any Olympic run. 

Sweden 

FIFA world positioning: fifth 

The Swedes are one of only two groups since April 2019 that have played the U.S. Also, not lost (the other, South Korea, isn't at these Games). 90 days prior, the USA required a 87th-minute extra shot by Megan Rapinoe to rescue a 1–1 attract Stockholm. They'll meet again on Wednesday in a tricky basic opener for the two sides—the victor, ought to there be one, will have within track at winning Group G, which accompanies the honor of staying away from a frightening quarterfinal matchup (Group G's runner up will draw the champ of Group F, liable to be either the Netherlands or Brazil. The Group G champ will confront a third-place finisher in the quarters). 

Some of the Sweden players who were on the 2016 Olympic list when it shocked the U.S. Are back, including star focus back Magdalena Eriksson, midfielder Kosovare Asllani, advances Sofia Jakobsson and Fridolina Rolfö and skipper Caroline Seger. This gathering shouldn't be threatened by the possibility of confronting the U.S.— or any other individual—and if there's a silver lining to opening with a high-profile match, it's that there can't be a rematch until the last. 

Brazil and Canada will seek Olympic gold 

Reinhold Matay/USA TODAY Sports 

The following level 

Brazil 

FIFA world positioning: seventh 

Two previous USWNT lead trainers will be on different sidelines in Japan—Brazil's Pia Sundhage is one, and New Zealand's Tom Sermanni is the other. Sundhage, obviously, broadly won gold while training the U.S. At the 2012 Olympics in London, then, at that point ventured down and accepted the position in Sweden, where she dealt with the 2016 group that took out the U.S. In the quarterfinals. In 2019, she took over for Brazil and now drives a captivating gathering hoping to cause some genuine harm at the Tokyo Games. 

Somewhat recently besides, Brazil has attempted to recreate its ladies' soccer brilliant days, when it was sprinter up at both the 2007 World Cup and 2008 Olympics, and when Marta—presently 35 and still a generally excellent player—was at her mind boggling top. Be that as it may, there's a lot of ability here in 2021, and under Sundhage, this gathering has advanced into one on the rise. Marta is still here, obviously, and incredibly so is 43-year-old Formiga, who has played in each and every Olympics that has had ladies' soccer (since 1996) and is making her seventh(!) trip. 

The title of Brazil's top playmaker now, however, has a place with Debinha, a dynamic midfielder who stars in the NWSL and is a scoring danger at whatever point she moves toward the 18-yard-box. Brazil will require her at her best as its continued looking for a decoration. This gathering saw the U.S. Recently, losing 2–0 at the SheBelieves Cup (it beat both Canada and Argentina by numerous objectives in its different matches in the occasion). Brazil got its opportunities against the U.S. Furthermore, should be more clinical if it's to get through in Japan, beginning in a packed Group E.

Canada 

FIFA world positioning: eighth 

Could we get a U.S.- Canada meeting at a significant competition interestingly since that moment exemplary at the 2012 Olympics? It's anything but a chance, with Canada directly in the blend again for an award and various expected ways to these sides meeting in the knockouts. The Canadians gave the U.S. A ride at the SheBelieves Cup in February, holding the hosts scoreless for 78 minutes before a Rose Lavelle objective end up being the distinction. And keeping in mind that Canada left that occasion having scored just a single time, it was playing its first matches under new lead trainer Bev Priestman. 

Priestman hasn't had a great deal of time to carry out her vision in the group in front of the Olympics, yet there have been some reassuring outcomes. Canada beat England 2–0 out and about in April, tied Brazil 0–0 in June and drew with the Netherlands 3–3 last week in a pre-Olympic preparing match. 

The list is a blend of involvement—like unsurpassed global objective scoring pioneer Christine Sinclair (38 years of age) and a player with 205 covers in Sophie Schmidt (33)— and youth, as champion safeguard Ashley Lawrence (26) and midfielder Jessie Fleming (23) and promising youthful advances Jordyn Huitema (20) and Evelyne Viens (24). The central issue for Canada, however, is a natural one: Can this group score enough? With an assortment of assaulting choices—which additionally incorporate Janine Beckie and Nichelle Prince—Priestman is expecting to track down the right blend that gives Canada the clinical completing it needs to get on the platform. 

Extraordinary Britain 

FIFA world positioning: sixth (for England; notwithstanding, Great Britain could likewise pull from the lists of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland) 

Surely, Team GB is somewhat of a secret heading into this Olympic competition. The England group that pushed the United States to the edge in the 2019 Women's World Cup elimination round has made various strides, thinking back to the a long time since, winning only three of the nine friendlies it's played and most as of late tumbling to France and Canada by a total score of 5–1. In the interim, supervisor Phil Neville continued forward to MLS, and Hege Riise has steered (counting those of Team Great Britain) until Wiegman shows up in September. 

A significant number of the England players who were in that 2019 group are presently important for Team GB, and just three of its 22 players (Scotland's Kim Little and Caroline Weir; Wales' Sophie Ingle) are from outside that organization. So the worries around England's new structure are genuine, just like the way that Great Britain will enter its opener having barely played together (a planned July cordial with Zambia was dropped, yet it did as of late beat New Zealand 3–0 in a shut entryway Olympic warm-down agreeable). 

Maybe of boss concern is the Team GB protection, as England posted only two clean sheets (versus 30th-positioned Portugal and 48th-positioned Northern Ireland) in its last 11 authority games. The protector list is recognizable, including The Best FIFA Women's Player honoree Lucy Bronze at directly back and Millie Bright, Steph Houghton and Leah Williamson at focus back, yet that gathering hasn't generally demonstrated to be the best unit at the worldwide level, especially on set pieces. Search for the capable 24-year-old Williamson, of Arsenal, to have a bigger job this time after scarcely showing up at the '19 World Cup. 

In the assault, Team GB unquestionably has the pieces to be perilous, including Ellen White, Fran Kirby, Nikita Parris, Georgia Stanway and promising 20-year-old Lauren Hemp. Kirby is falling off a splendid season with Chelsea, while White featured two years prior in France. In any case, Team GB should gel rapidly to prevail in an interesting gathering and try not to fall at a serious disadvantage—or more regrettable, missing the knockout stage totally. 

Japan 

FIFA world positioning: tenth 

The host side has been working toward this Olympic competition for quite a while, forfeiting experience for youth at the '19 World Cup to revamp for what's to come. Those developing agonies were as yet in plain view at the 2020 SheBelieves Cup, when Japan lost every one of the three games not long before the COVID-19 pandemic shut down sports, and it's just played five friendlies since. The uplifting news: it overwhelmed four of those matches by a joined score of 27–1, and won the fifth, 1–0, over Australia. The awful news: The normal FIFA positioning of the non-Australia adversaries is 42.3, so those defeats are generally not demonstrative of the nature of group it will look in these Olympics. 

While this is a youthful gathering, not every person on this Japan list is unpracticed on the enormous stage. Mana Iwabuchi, 28, has been on the scene since the 2011 Women's World Cup, and the imaginative forward has scored six objectives across the five 2021 matches. Chief and 30-year-old Saki Kumagai, in the interim, was a robust at Lyon and is an anchor of the Japanese protection. 

With an absence of great games to go on, it's difficult to check precisely what's in store out of Japan in these Games, however beyond a shadow of a doubt: It has its eyes on the platform, including a push for gold. Gathering play will be basic, with Japan, Canada and Great Britain all possibly ready to complete anyplace from first to third. The distinction in situation is steep and will to a great extent shape who is well on the way to progress past the quarterfinals. 

Australia and Japan will contend at the Olympics 

Masashi Hara/Getty Images 

The trump card 

Australia 

FIFA world positioning: ninth 

On paper, The Matildas are a completely strong group. They have probably the best striker on the planet in Sam Kerr, who is consistently a danger to score inasmuch as her partners can get the ball to her feet (or head). They have a group loaded up with players with major (and fluctuated) club insight, going from the NWSL to the WSL to the nearby W-League. Furthermore, of the 18 players on the underlying Olympic program before it extended to 22, just one (Kyra Cooney-Cross) is making her introduction on a significant competition list. 

The issue? For a certain something, Australia is on its third lead trainer since 2019, and the turnover—on top of the pandemic—has incurred significant damage. Interval mentor Ante Milicic dealt with the group at the 2019 World Cup and was planned to likewise mentor the group in Japan, however he left the position a year prior. Previous USWNT associate Tony Gustavsson took over in September and has gotten off to in excess of a rough beginning. Subsequent to going a year without a worldwide game, the Matildas got their entryways brushed off by Germany and the Netherlands and have lost four of five games in 2021, drawing a fifth with Sweden. 

Australia's safeguard has for some time been defective, yet in the event that its assault won't redress, it makes any street to what in particular would be an unexpected award in Japan an especially intense one. It likewise ends up in a fierce gathering, and it likely requirements to take focuses from the U.S. And additionally Sweden to keep away from a third-place finish and likely end. In any case, this program feels excessively skilled and experienced to discount, and on the off chance that it can get some certainty rolling early, it can possibly upset either its own account or somebody else's.