- Aussies will play the first match of the Games on July 25
- Drawn in a group with two teams in the top five in the world
- Emily Van Egmond says the team is ready for the challenge
The Matildas’ quest to win gold at the Paris Olympics is off to a rocky start with the news that they have been included in a group that includes the top five teams America and Germany.
Vice-captain Emily Van Egmond says England’s missed outing on the Olympics shows how tough the competition will be in Paris.
The Matildas have avoided the reigning Olympic champions and World Cup winners, but will face an American team looking for redemption in their quest for their first Olympic medal in Paris.
In the unlikely event that Sam Kerr recovers from her knee injury in time to play, she could face her American fiancé Kristie Mewis.
Mary Fowler (pictured playing Uzbekistan) and her teammates face tough times in Paris after being drawn into a group with the US and Germany
The Tillies (pictured celebrating a goal against Uzbekistan) will also play Zambia or Morocco when the action gets underway in Paris
Coach Tony Gustvasson’s team was drawn in Pool B with the US and powerhouse Germany and a yet-to-be-confirmed African qualifier, Zambia or Morocco, to be determined next month.
Avoiding Spain, last year’s World Cup winners and the gold medalists of Tokyo, Canada, and hosts France, is a victory for the Matildas, but the path to a medal is still not easy.
“The Olympic Games are a super competitive tournament,” Van Egmond told the Today Show after the draw.
‘You saw how difficult it was for all the European teams to qualify while England were missing.
“We did well in Tokyo and we have a new challenge in Paris that we are looking forward to.”
The Matildas lost 4–3 to the US at the Tokyo Olympics and both the Americans and Germany are both ranked significantly higher than Australia and in fourth and fifth place respectively, while Australia is in twelfth place.
If Sam Kerr manages to make a miraculous recovery from her knee injury in time to play in Paris, she could face her fiancé, American star Kristie Mewis.
Vice-captain Emily Van Egmond (pictured) says England’s failure to make the Olympics illustrates how tough the Games will be
But both teams failed to get as far as the Matildas did at the FIFA Women’s World Cup. Germany did not progress beyond the group stage and the US only managed one win in their group stage matches.
The Matildas finished fourth in Tokyo and will look to avenge that heartbreak without injured superstar skipper Sam Kerr.
Australia’s men’s team, the Olyroos, won’t know if they qualify until the AFC U-23s tournament in April.
The women’s Olympic football competition will start on July 25 in Paris and the women’s gold medal match will be played on August 10 at the Parc des Princes.
OLYMPIC FOOTBALL BATHROOMS
GROUP A: France, Colombia, Canada, New Zealand
GROUP B: USA, CAF 2, Germany, Australia
GROUP C: Spain, Japan, CAF 1, Brazil
SCHEME
July 25: Germany V Aus (Marseille)
July 28: Aus V CAF 2 (Zambia or Morocco – Nice)
July 31: Aus V USA (Marseille)