By Emma Burke 21/4/24
Above: Emily Van Egmond. Photo: Football Australia.
Matildas star Emily van Egmond and head coach Tony Gustavsson have spoken to media today after it was announced that the Matildas will meet USA, Germany, and either Zambia or Morocco at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
The Matildas will open their Olympic campaign against Germany on the 25th of July, followed by either Zambia or Morocco following the African Confederation play-off between the two teams, on the 28th of July, and finish their group stage against the US on the 31st of July.
“An opening game against Germany, one of the teams I first played as a head coach for the Matildas, the US again, that we played in the last Olympics, and then we saw what the African teams could do in the World Cup in 2023. This is going to be a very, very, very exciting group,” said head coach Tony Gustavsson.
Germany currently rank fifth in the world and defeated Australia 5-2 in a friendly in 2021. They return to the Olympic games this year after failing to qualify for the previous tournament in Tokyo, and after a shock early exit from the Women’s World Cup last year in the group stage.
Australia has never played either Zambia or Morocco, who are ranked 65th and 68th respectively, but neither side should be taken lightly. Zambia’s qualification would make Paris 2024 their second consecutive Olympic appearance in Women’s Football, and Morocco’s would be their first time involved following their historic run that saw them come second in the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in 2022, and make their first appearance at a Women’s World Cup in last year’s tournament.
The United States are the team Australia are most familiar with, having faced them 33 times. Ranked fourth globally, the USA are a formidable opponent, or at least they were.
“The US in particular are coming into a new phase now with a new head coach as well, so it’ll be a new challenge for us,” said vice captain Emily van Egmond of the Americans.
After their worst ever performance at a Women’s World Cup, defeated by Sweden in penalties in the Round of 16, the nation has secured a new head coach in Sam Kerr’s Chelsea manager Emma Hayes, who leaves Chelsea at the end of this current season to assume the position, just in time for the Olympics. In the interim, the US have appeared in the CONCACAF W Gold Cup, while winning the tournament, they did suffer their first ever loss to Mexico, and were dragged to penalties in the semi-final by Canada.
Australia now enter the final stages of preparation for the tournament, where they will face Mexico themselves next month in San Antonio, Texas on the 10th of April.
“It’s utilising all the time that we have left. We only get 10 to 12 days a month to prepare and get together as a team and build towards the Olympics, so to play against Mexico will be a great challenge and a game that we’ll look to capitalise on,” said van Egmond.
From there, the Matildas will head home for their farewell games, two games against China, played in Adelaide and Sydney before heading off to Paris. The real focus for the team during these games, however, will be on the Olympic opener.
“We need to narrow down to the opening game on the 25th against Germany, [like] we did at the World Cup when it was all about the opening game against Ireland. We’re narrowing the focus now and it’s all about the opening game,” said Gustavsson.
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