Jill Ellis’ 2016 U.S. Olympic Women’s Soccer Team Meets Old Foe
The U.S. Women’s National Team take on Sweden in the first of four Olympic quarterfinals today, Aug. 12 at 12 p.m. ET at Mane Garrincha Stadium in Brasilia – one of the world’s most expensive stadiums on the planet, it has enjoyed a $900 Million reconstruction in 2013.
2016 Summer Olympics enters the quarterfinal round, with the USA playing their first match. Already win or die, this is a battle not to be missed and can be watched on Live on Stream: NBC Sports Live Extra (NBCSN), as well as on NBCOlympics.com. Jill Ellis’ squad may be the favorite but it would be disastrous to lose and have to go home. As all eyes fall on Carli Lloyd to score in this knockout stage game, our favorite midfielder will most likely get a ball into the back of the net.
This game means more than just a match in the 2016 Rio Olympics.
The rivalry between the USA and Sweden runs deep and is complex. The much beloved, former coach of the U.S. Women’s National Team from 2008 to 2012, Pia Sundhage, who led the USA to gold medals at the 2008 and 2012 Olympics will be on the opposite side, coaching Sweden. Sundhage was named the 2012 FIFA Women’s World Coach of the Year and while Ellis is fairly cemented as the Head Coach now, there is a long, competitive history with a great deal of pride.
As U.S. Soccer says, “The game has huge implications as it marks the beginning of the knockout stage and the U.S. must win in order to advance and keep its gold medal dreams alive.”
Sundhage worked alongside current head coach Jill Ellis while she was in the USA, however since she returned to her native land to coach Sweden, the teams have met only three times in very close games, with only one of them under the leadership of Ellis as the other two were under former head coach Tom Sermanni.
The USA has failed to win any of those three games, tying two and losing one. The teams tied 1-1 at the Algarve Cup in 2013, the USA lost 1-0 at the Algarve Cup in 2014 and then there was the 0-0 draw at the Women’s World Cup last summer.
Ten players on the current roster earned at least one cap under Sundhage. They are: Hope Solo, Becky Sauerbrunn, Kelley O’Hara, Whitney Engen, Meghan Klingenberg, Carli Lloyd. Ali Krieger, Alex Morgan, Megan Rapinoe and Tobin Heath. Beyond the coaching ties, a few players also spent various amounts of time playing in Sweden. Engen, Christen Press, Ashlyn Harris, Ali Krieger and Klingenberg all have played with and against many of the Sweden National Team players. Solo also played in Sweden back in 2004.
For more information – check out U.S. Soccer!
