Soccer/Football - Jul 21st-Aug 7th

[TaLoN]

Here's your Soccer/Football schedule...

Football - Olympic Schedule & Results | Tokyo 2020

Here's a men's soccer preview...

Tokyo Olympics Men's Soccer Preview: Top stars, group-by-group analysis, how to watch

Here's a preview for the women...

Tokyo Olympics: Women's soccer preview

The U.S. is the No. 1-ranked team in the world and the heavy favorites to win gold this summer after being on a warpath since losing to Sweden during the 2016 semifinals. The Americans will be looking to become the first nation to follow up a World Cup win (2019) with Olympic gold.

Undefeated over 44 matches dating back to 2019, the U.S. looks primed to return to the top of the podium during its first international tournament under head coach Vlatko Andonovski. Sam Mewis, Crystal Dunn, Julie Ertz, Tobin Heath, Rose Lavelle, Megan Rapinoe, and Alex Morgan highlight a squad absolutely loaded with elite talent and experience.

Their biggest challengers will be a Netherlands team that can score goals in bunches. With prolific forwards Vivianne Miedema - the Women's Super League's record-breaking scorer - and her running mate Lieke Martens leading the way, the Dutch certainly aren't lacking in big-game pedigree while debuting in the Olympics. The team's relentless attack makes it capable of pulling off an upset, though the Netherlands lost 2-0 to the U.S. during the 2019 Women's World Cup final, and lost by the same score to the Americans in a November 2020 friendly.

The better value is with Great Britain to pull off the upset. While the majority of its players come from England - a team that narrowly lost to the U.S. during the 2019 Women's World Cup semifinal - adding Scotland's Kim Little and Caroline Weir will boost the squad. They join a stacked roster that also includes stars Lucy Bronze and Fran Kirby, and a strong supporting cast.

The main concern is this team has only played once previously together as Great Britain in 2012. So will things come together in time for a wonderfully talented group to reach its full potential?

Sweden and Canada are considered slight long shots to win gold in Tokyo after taking the silver and bronze, respectively, in 2016. With Kosovare Asllani - one of the world's most prolific midfielders - leading the way, the Swedes open against the U.S. in a rematch of that dramatic 2016 semifinal upset. Sweden fell 1-0 in extra time to the Netherlands during the 2019 Women's World Cup semis, and the country lost 2-0 to the U.S. in the group stage of that tournament - one of its three defeats to the Americans since beating the United States in 2016.

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[Eye of Ra]

sweden vs usa soon, 10.30

 

[Hockeyfrilla]

Swedish jerseys

 

[Eye of Ra]

Swedish jerseys

they look cool

 

[TaLoN]

3-0 Sweden win. Need shades to look at those Swedish jerseys...

 

[TaLoN]

Canada up 1-0 vs Japan

 

[Jussi]

they look cool

They look like emergency workers vests. Too much neon shade.

US need to either start Rapinoe or at least bring her on at the half in the rest of their games. She's the only one who can create something actually dangerous offensively. Oh yeah, their defense sucks too.

 

[TaLoN]

Australia up 1-0 against New Zealand (USA's next opponent)

 

[Tuggy]

Japan gets a late equalizer and it finishes 1-1.

 

[John Price]

Pretty flat from USA in their group stage opener.

Sweden completely outplayed them. Rare to see the US thrashed like this, and a 25 game unbeaten streak (35 if you go back further before the current coach) ended.

NZ should be 3 points but Australia will be tough. Sweden has been a thorn in the side of US for some time dating back to Rio.

 

[TaLoN]

Pretty flat from USA in their group stage opener.

Sweden completely outplayed them. Rare to see the US thrashed like this, and a 25 game unbeaten streak (35 if you go back further before the current coach) ended.

NZ should be 3 points but Australia will be tough. Sweden has been a thorn in the side of US for some time dating back to Rio.

44 game unbeaten streak ended actually (was noted in the OP preview).

 

[Savi]

I watched a bit of the Holland-Zambia game, that was hilarious

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Glad the US Women lost. I hope they lose the next two.

 

[SniperHF]

If there's enough activity you guys are welcome to make separate threads for different matches FYI.

 

[John Price]

Glad the US Women lost. I hope they lose the next two.

not happening

 

[John Price]

Brazil obliterate China, 5-0 right now on the replay and it's the 89th minute

The teams that raised eyebrows so far

Dutch (game wasn't aired here?)

Sweden 3-0 over legit USA

Brazil 5-0 over China

We are in for a pretty good tournament on the women's side.

 

[Jive Pawnbroker]

Glad the US Women lost. I hope they lose the next two.

 

[Jussi]

If there's enough activity you guys are welcome to make separate threads for different matches FYI.

I have a feeling separate threads for the men's and women's tournaments might suffice, plus the medal games.

 

[Eye of Ra]

What makes Swedens win over USA even more impressing is that 3 key players where missing in Fischer, Sembrandt and Eriksson.

 

[John Price]

Spain is trotting out 6 players from the Euros in the Olympics

Good for them

 

[John Price]

Egypt and Spain end scoreless.

 

[John Price]

2 shocking results from footy today.

NZ 1 - South Korea 0. Asian champ is shut out, NZ gets their first Olympic win.

Mexico 4 - France 1. European power thrashed by Mexico.

 

[Jussi]

Dani Alves playing in the Olympics.

 

[Jussi]

Richarlison puts Brazil ahead.

 

[Jussi]

Richarlison again.