00:00The US women's national team enjoyed a successful start at the 2024 Paris Olympics, its first
00:07tournament under head coach Emma Hayes, dominating Zambia on the way to a 3-0 scoreline in the
00:12south of France.
00:15A blistering first-half performance, highlighted by a slick goal from forward Trinity Rodman
00:20and a 70-second brace from forward Mallory Swanson, powered the USA to earn the three
00:25points.
00:28Goalkeeper Lindsay Horan contributed two assists in a dynamic first half showing from the young
00:33Americans.
00:35Goalkeeper Alyssa Nayar posted her third shutout in the last three games.
00:41The USA limited Zambia to just three shots on frame, all on isolated forays in the second
00:46half.
00:48Seven players made their Olympic debut as Hayes fielded the program's youngest starting
00:5211, 27.4 years, at a women's World Cup or Olympic tournament since the Beijing Games
00:58in 2008.
01:01The USWNT now has opened the Olympic tournament with a victory in six of eight all-time appearances.
01:08The 2024 competition comprises 12 nations in three groups of four.
01:14The top two teams in each quartet following the group stage round-robin, along with the
01:19two best third-place finishers, will advance to the August third-quarter finals.
01:25The USA's Group B also features Germany, the two-time Women's World Cup champion and 2016
01:31Olympic gold medalist and 2023 Women's World Cup semi-finalist Australia.
01:38The Germans rolled past Australia, 3-0, earlier on Thursday, setting up a top-of-the-group
01:43showdown on Sunday in Marseille.
01:46Zambia arrived in France ranked 64th in the world but were expected to present a challenge
01:51that belied its rating.
01:54The Copper Queens have improved considerably in short order, climbing 39 places in FIFA's
01:59table over the past two years while making their Olympic 2021 and Women's World Cup
02:052023 debuts.
02:08In between, they won bronze at the 2022 Women's Africa Cup of Nations.
02:15Zambia also has produced two of the most expensive players in the history of the women's game.
02:20Barbara Banda's move to the Orlando Pride and Rachel Kundanangi's signing by Bay F.C.,
02:25both before the start of the 2024 NWSL season, set new benchmarks.
02:32This was the first-ever game between the teams and limiting the threat presented by Banda
02:36and Kundanangi was a chief concern.
02:39To that end, veteran Crystal Dunne, whose role has diversified under Hayes, celebrated
02:44her 150th cap with a return to left back.
02:50The U.S. defense did well to cut off service to the Zambian pair and when Banda got up
02:54ahead of steam running at the U.S. goal, which she did on several occasions, the U.S. center-backs
02:59duo of Naomi Germa and Tierna Davidson were able to run her down before she could create
03:04any real danger.
03:07That offered the U.S. attack, which had created myriad chances but just one goal in this month's
03:12send-off friendlies, timed to find its groove.
03:15It took just 17 minutes.
03:19After hitting the crossbar twice and missing a couple of additional promising looks, including
03:24one second into the match from Horan, the Americans rediscovered their finishing touch.
03:30Robman scored her first goal of 2024 off a feed from Horan and a nimble roll of the ball
03:36behind her leg that froze two Zambian defenders.
03:39That dribble made room for her shot, which she slotted underneath Zambian goalkeeper
03:43Ngambo Musil from 14 yards out.
03:48Swanson then broke the game open with her 72nd brace spanning the 24th and 25th minutes.
03:55Both goals came thanks to her strong, well-timed runs into the penalty area, the first off
04:00a feed from Horan and the second off an assist from Sophia Smith.
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