– by Geraldo Reid
A Lot of Sports Talk contributing writer
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NICE, FRANCE — Coaching under the white hot spotlight on the stage that the United States once was the main attraction, Emma Hayes saw the ideal result in her first competitive match as manager of the United States Women’s National Team unfold in front of her: a lot of teachable moments as a sign for room of improvement, yet a solid victory for her young team to build some confidence.
Mallory Swanson scored a brace in the span of a minute midway through the first half, highlighting the United States’ 3-0 victory over Zambia in the first group stage game for both countries at the 2024 Olympic Games. Another forward, Trinity Rodman, opened the scoring in the 17th minute as the Red, White and Blue scored three first-half goals for the first time in an Olympic group stage match.
Hayes’ hiring earlier this year, off the heels of the United States’ disappointing Round of 16 exit at last year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup, not only ushered in a new era with the program but also brought a changing of the guard with the roster; the USWNT fielded its youngest starting eleven in a major international competition since the 2008 Olympics in Beijing — a tournament that ended with the States winning the third of its four gold medals — inside Nice Stadium on Thursday evening, with the main focus on the attacking trio of Swanson, Rodman and Sophia Smith. A lot of Hayes’ work since coming on board in May was to improve the forward’s timing and decision-making in the opponents’ penalty area, and although each of the front players had a big hand in at least one of the three goals, the master tactician in Hayes was far from satisfied when assessing the team’s performance afterward, especially knowing that two of the top teams in the world, Germany and Australia, loom in their final two group games on Sunday and Wednesday.
“If you know me, you know that winning games aren’t enough for me,” Hayes said to NBC afterward. “I want a high level from the team and I saw things tonight that show that we have a lot of work to do. But that’s on me to resolve with the team in the dressing room and tomorrow with analysis. But we got three points, we won the first game and I’ll take all the positives out of that.”
The trio of goals came immediately after a number of glorious chances that the USWNT able to create right from the outset but did not capitalize on. Midfielder and captain Lindsey Horan missed the target by inches with a lunging left-footed stab at the ball in the opening 30 seconds, followed soon by a Sophia Smith shot was a comfortably saved by goalkeeper Ngambo Musole. Later on in the early stages, both Rodman and Swanson had shots cannon off the crossbar, and soon after the latter’s headed attempt hit the woodwork, Horan saw another opportunity to score cleared off the line by the Zambian back line.
That early profligacy turned into a spate of ruthlessness in the 17th minute, starting when Rodman gathered in a ball from Horan before swiveling upon her first touch and burying her chance to put the United States on the board. The Washington Spirit forward’s tally marked her first-ever goal in a major international competition. Seven minutes later and Team USA doubled its lead, as another Horan assist — a deft through ball played with the outside of her foot — allowed Swanson run to the ball and round the keeper before finishing with her left foot. In quick succession, Swanson doubled her tally on the night after taking a pass from Smith on the left wing and once again beating Musole to cap off the scoring outburst.
Swanson, who missed out on participating in last year’s World Cup due to a patellar tendon injury suffered during a friendly in April 2023, scored her first Olympic goal since her first-ever goal in the Olympics at the 2016 Rio Games. Swanson, Horan, wing back Crystal Dunn and goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher are the only holdovers from that team who went to Brazil, the only U.S. squad to not medal in the Olympics since the first women’s Olympic soccer competition in 1996 in Atlanta.
The Copper Queens of Zambia saw their day go from bad to worse in the 34th minute when Pauline Zulu received a red card in the 34th minute on a foul on Smith. The referee initially showed a yellow card on the infraction, as Smith was fouled just outside of the penalty area as she and Zulu raced toward the Zambian net. However, it was upgraded to red upon review, as it was judged that Zulu, who fouled Smith from behind, was the last defender back and denied a goal-scoring opportunity.
Despite the numerical advantage in personnel for close to an hour, the U.S. once again missed a number of gilt-edged chances to add to their lead, with a free header sent wide by Dunn off a cross from substitute Casey Kreuger being the most glaring miss. Zambia forward Barbara Banda, who currently leads the National Women’s Soccer League with 12 goals for the undefeated Orlando Pride, was the only threat for the African side. She had a few breakaway moments which were dealt with comfortably by American center back Naomi Girma.
The team’s day was blighted by an apparent leg injury to Smith late in the first half, which forced her to exit the game right before the halftime interval as she was replaced by Lynn Williams.
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