USA Women vs. Zambia Women – prediction, team news, lineups
USA Women will kick off their Olympic campaign when they face Zambia Women in Thursday’s clash at the Allianz Rivera in Nice.
The Stars and Stripes are bidding to win gold for the fifth time, while Zambia are set to make their second appearance at the Olympics.
Match preview
The USA are set to compete in their first major competition since experiencing a disappointing last-16 exit at the 2023 World Cup.
Vlatko Andonovski left his position following the underwhelming performance at the World Cup, leaving Twila Kilgore to take interim charge until Emma Hayes took over the reins at the end of the 2023-24 WSL season.
Hayes, who ended her 12-year stay as Chelsea boss, began her tenure as USA head coach with three consecutive victories, before overseeing an underwhelming goalless draw against Costa Rica.
Nevertheless, the USA are yet to concede under Hayes’s watch, laying a solid foundation for their bid to win a fifth gold medal.
However, they have not won the Olympics since London 2012 after falling at the quarter-final stage in 2016 and settling for a bronze medal at Tokyo 2020.
While the USA are going for gold, Zambia’s main objective will be to offer a competitive display in a tough group which also features Germany and Australia.
The Copper Queens secured their spot in Paris with a successful performance in the CAF Women's Olympic qualifying tournament.
They beat Ghana 4-3 on aggregate in the third round, before claiming an extra-time victory over Morocco to seal their spot at a second consecutive Olympics.
Over the next three games, Zambia will look to spring a surprise and claim their first win at the Olympics after taking just one point from their three group games in 2021.
While beating the USA will be a tough ask, they will be desperate to produce a stronger display than the one they managed in their Olympic opener in 2021 when they fell to a heavy 10-3 defeat to the Netherlands.
USA Women form (all competitions): WWWWWD
Zambia Women form (all competitions): WWDLWD
USA Women vs. Zambia Women odds
The bookmakers have little doubt about the outcome of this duel given that USA Women have a 95.20% win probability based on the odds you can find at different betting sites.
USA Women Odds: 1/20 – 95.20% probability
Draw Odds: 14/1 – 6.70% probability
Zambia Women Odds: 40/1 – 2.40% probability
Even backing USA to win after also leading at half-time will bring you a price of just 1/3, which is the same as a 75% probability.
When it comes to goals, the bookies expect plenty of goals in this match. After all, the odds on over 2.5 total goals are also 1/3 (75% probability), while the odds on under 2.5 total goals are 11/4, which implies a 26.70% probability. Despite that, both teams to score has 5/2 odds and a 28.60% probability, so the bookies don't see both teams scoring, or at least they don't see Zambia Women scoring.
Team News
Hayes has taken the tough decision to leave out 35-year-old forward Alex Morgan, who represented the USA at the previous three Olympics.
The majority of Hayes's squad ply their trade in the National Women's Soccer League, with Emily Fox, Korbin Albert and Lindsey Horan the only three players who currently play their club football outside the USA.
The former Chelsea manager has named Jane Campbell, Hal Hershfelt, Croix Bethune and Lynn Williams as her four alternates in case any of the main squad pick up injuries.
As for Zambia, Evarine Katongo and Susan Banda have been left out of the 18-player squad due to their respective injury issues.
Orlando Pride's Barbra Banda and Bay FC's Rachael Kundananji represent Zambia's main goal threats, and the pair will be crucial to their country's hopes of troubling the USA, Australia and Germany.
USA Women possible starting lineup: Naeher; Fox, Girma, Davidson, Nighswonger; Lavelle, Horan, Coffey; Rodman, Smith, Swanson
Zambia Women possible starting lineup: Musonda; Siamfuko, P Zulu, Mweemba, Tembo; H Chanda, Wilombe, M Zulu; Chitundu, Kundananji, Banda
We say: USA Women 3-0 Zambia Women
USA will know they can ill afford to drop points ahead of tricky games against Germany and Australia, and we think they will warm up for those two fixtures by cruising to a comfortable victory in their opening match against Zambia.
