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Matchday One
Hosts And Euro Giants Impress On Day One
by Jeremy Ruane
France, Germany and host nation Brazil produced impressive performances on the opening day of the 2016 Olympic Women's Football Tournament, the trio recording the biggest victories as Canada, Sweden and reigning champions the USA also scored wins on Matchday One.
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GROUP E
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GROUP F
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GROUP G
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13,439 fans were on hand at the opening match of the tournament at the Rio de Janeiro Olympic Stadium, where a dominant Sweden eventually overcame the stubborn resistance of South Africa 1-0.
Sofia Jakobsson struck the crossbar early on for Pia Sundhage's side, with Magdalena Eriksson repeating the feat later in the match, after Lotta Schelin had been denied by a stunning save from Roxanne Barker.
"Banyana Banyana" offered little threat as an attacking force, and were eventually undone by Nilla Fischer's bundled close-range effort fourteen minutes from time, after the South Africans had failed to clear a corner.
By the time Brazil's clash with China got under way, the crowd had doubled in size to 27,618 fans, virtually all of whom were eagerly cheering on the host nation's representatives throughout proceedings.
They weren't to be disappointed, "La Canarinha" going through their repertoire of tricks with Cristiane and Marta leading the charge. The former saw one volley superbly denied by Zhao Lina, and another cleared off the line by Tan Ruyin before Monica finally broke "The Steel Roses"' resistance nine minutes before half-time, although her fifteen yard header should have been cleared by three Chinese defenders.
Andressa Alves doubled their advantage on the hour - following fine work by Marta - before Cristiane headed home her thirteenth goal in four Olympic Women's Football Tournaments seconds before the final whistle to leave the host nation well placed to progress to the quarter-finals.
Matchday Two action takes place at the same venue, and sees China and South Africa meeting on Sunday at 10am, NZ time, three hours before Brazil and Sweden meet in a clash between the opening round victors which will be shown live on Sky.
Details:
Brazil 3 (Monica (36), Andressa Alves (59), Cristiane (90)), China 0 HT 1-0
Sweden 1 (N. Fischer (76)), South Africa 0 HT 0-0
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A total of 20,521 fans piled into the Corinthians Arena in Sao Paulo, where they saw ten-woman Canada stun Australia 2-0 in the opening fixture of the day after witnessing the fastest ever goal in Olympic Football Tournament history.
Christine Sinclair caught the Matildas defence napping, and set up Janine Beckie for a close-range tap-in just twenty seconds into a contest which boasted twists and turns galore.
The next one came in the eighteenth minute, last defender Shelina Zadorsky hauling down Michelle Heyman to earn herself a red card and reduce John Herdman's charges to ten players for the duration.
From the resulting free-kick, Elise Kellond-Knight hit the crossbar as "The Matildas" looked to capitalise on their numerical advantage, but despite the impressive efforts of, in particular, Sam Kerr, they could find no way through a Canadian rearguard which was superbly marshalled by Kadeisha Buchanan.
Australia should have found themselves two goals down nineteen minutes from time when Caitlin Foord handled the ball in her own penalty area, but Beckie's poor penalty was saved solidly by Lydia Williams, moments before Katrina Gorry rattled the post at the other end of the ground as Alen Stajcic's team pursued the equalisier.
But they got stung on the counter-attack ten minutes from time, Sinclair firing home the all-important second goal which leaves the Canadians well placed to confirm their quarter-finals spot with a game to spare.
Germany, too, are similarly placed after seeing off a robust Zimbabwe side 6-1 in the later encounter, although it was a defeat which came at a price, with Simone Laudehr the victim of a particularly nasty sixteenth minute challenge which forced her early withdrawal from the fray.
Silvia Neid's team responded to this blow by taking the lead six minutes later, Sara Daebritz heading home the opening goal from a corner. Another header, this time from Alexandra Popp, doubled their advantage nine minutes before half-time.
When the net next bulged, it was the Africans who were celebrating five minutes into the second half, Kudakwashe Basopo turning home the rebound from a parried Almuth Schult save to mark with a goal Zimbabwe's debut in the final stages of a FIFA-sanctioned women's tournament at any level.
This roused the Germans into life, Melanie Behringer, who had hit the woodwork with a first half screamer, unleashing a gem of a free-kick three minutes later to restore their two-goal advantage.
That was the signal for the one-way traffic to resume in earnest, but Germany could only score thrice more, the first of which coming twelve minutes from time when Behringer squeezed home the rebound under the dive of Lindiwe Magwede after the 'keeper had parried her penalty.
Five minutes later, Laudehr's replacement, Melanie Leupolz, volleyed home from close range, while the cake was iced in stoppage time when Eunice Chibanda had the misfortune to head a Lena Goessling cross into her own net.
Matchday Two action offers the opening day winners the chance to book their spots in the quarter-finals. Canada kick things off at the Corinthians Arena at 6am on Sunday, NZ time, when taking on Zimbabwe, while three hours later, Germany take on "The Matildas" in a match which Sky will show live.
Details:
Canada 2 (J. Beckie (1), C. Sinclair (80)), Australia 0 HT 1-0
Germany 6 (S. Daebritz (22), A. Popp (36), M. Behringer (53, 78), M. Leupolz (83), "oggie" (90)), Zimbabwe 1 (K. Basopo (50)) HT 2-0
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Reigning Olympic champions the USA took full advantage of a couple of lapses in concentration early in each half by New Zealand's Football Ferns to comfortably prevail 2-0 in front of 10,059 fans at the Mineirao Stadium in Belo Horizonte and leave themselves well placed to progress to the quarter-finals.
Carli Lloyd headed home a Tobin Heath cross after nine minutes, while just 35 seconds into the second spell, following more good work by Heath, Alex Morgan doubled Team USA's advantage against opponents who responded well to both setbacks and effectively kept their more vaunted opponents at arm's length for the majority of the match.
The Football Ferns failed to force a save worthy of note from Hope Solo, but will be buoyed by the other results on opening day, none more so than France's 4-0 crushing of Colombia in the later match at the same venue, which, due to the 10pm local time kick-off, was watched by just 6,847 fans.
They were treated to a very impressive French performance, which began in perfect fashion when Carolina Arias turned Eugenie Le Sommer's cross into her own net inside the opening seventy seconds of the contest.
The supplier turned scorer twelve minutes later, heading home the rebound after Camille Abily's dipping twenty yarder had crashed down off the crossbar to set "Les Bleues" on course for a handsome victory, which could have been far greater.
Amel Majiri was causing all sorts of problems for the Colombians on the left flank, while Abily was directing proceedings with aplomb, and deservedly potted a peach of a free-kick in the shadows of the half-time whistle, a feat Majiri matched eight minutes from time as Philippe Bergeroo's side laid down the gauntlet to all their rivals - they are here to take home a medal.
The clash of France and the USA, at 8am on Sunday NZ time, is the undisputed clash of the day on Matchday Two, and one which will be followed by the Football Ferns' must-win duel with Colombia three hours later at the same Belo Horizonte venue, which will be live on Sky.
Details:
France 4 ("oggie" (2), E. Le Sommer (14), C. Abily (42), A. Majiri (82)), Colombia 0 HT 3-0
USA 2 (C. Lloyd (9), A. Morgan (46)), Football Ferns 0 HT 1-0
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