Everything you need to know about No. 5 USWNT at the Paris Olympics

The GIST: The No. 5 USWNT begin their Olympic revenge tour tomorrow, taking on No. 64 Zambia at 3 p.m. ET. Before our full women’s soccer tourney primer hits your inbox tomorrow, here’s a deep dive on the red, white, and blue — no drones required.

Don’t expect total dominance from the evolving USWNT: The Americans have underwhelmed in their most recent major international tourneys, winning bronze at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and exiting in the Round of 16 at the 2023 Women’s World Cup. But the USWNT’s lackluster performances are only part of the reason for their results.

• As head coach Emma Hayes reiterated yesterday, due to increased talent and parity in the women’s game, it’s no longer a shoo-in for anyone to get anywhere.

• And as evidenced in their latest international friendly — a 0–0 draw against No. 44 Costa Rica on July 16th — the youngest USWNT since 2008 is still jelling.

USWNT’s top impact players: This squad is bursting with fresh talent, particularly at forward, with NWSL TikTok stars Sophia Smith, Mallory Swanson, and Trinity Rodman starting to find their rhythm — getting shots on target will be a major goal for the trio throughout these Games.

• But the key to the USWNT’s success? A cohesive midfield. If captain Lindsay Horan and creative playmaker Rose Lavelle can find their chemistry, watch out world.

Group stage gameplan: This USWNT can beat all three teams in Group B: Zambia, No. 4 Germany, and No. 12 Australia. However, Hayes stressed that they’re taking the tourney one game at a time, first focused on stopping Zambia, who boast two of the best strikers in the world — Barbra Banda and Racheal Kundananji.

• If there’s anyone to watch tomorrow, it’s centerback Naomi Girma, the two-time NWSL Defender of the Year who will be tasked with dismantling the Copper Queens. Bring it on.