PARIS (AP) — The U.S. women's soccer team will face Germany and Australia at the Paris Olympics as incoming coach Emma Hayes looks to get off to a good start.
The draw for the men's and women's soccer tournament was held at a ceremony in Saint-Denis on Wednesday.
The record four-time gold medal winners faced fifth place Germany and World Cup semi-finalists Australia in Group B. Those teams will be joined by either Morocco or Zambia from the Confederation of African Football.
After finishing the season with Chelsea, Hayes was appointed as the head coach of the U.S. national team in May, and is challenging for a quadruple crown in his final year. She has already won 14 major trophies with Chelsea, including six Women's Super League titles.
Twila Kilgore will serve as interim coach for the U.S. team until Hayes joins the team. Kilgore recently led his team to a title at the CONCACAF Gold Cup.
“Bottom line: I'm excited to have an avenue to know who I'm going to be playing against a lot and start working on a specific game plan,” Kilgore said after the draw. “But also just to know the logistics routes. There's a lot going on at the Olympics with short turnarounds and crowded games.”
The United States has not won an Olympic gold medal since 2012, but had a disappointing performance at last year's Women's World Cup, losing in a penalty shootout to Sweden in the round of 16, making them the earliest to be eliminated from the tournament. It had never ended so badly. 3rd place in the last World Cup.
Hayes has established himself as one of the sport's leading coaches. She will be able to add to her record this season by winning a number of trophies, including the Champions League, the only competition she has yet to achieve with Chelsea.
Defending champion Canada is tied in Group A with hosts France, Colombia and New Zealand. Before winning gold at the Tokyo Games, Canada won back-to-back bronze medals in London and Brazil.
“We know now more than ever that there are no easy games in the women's game, no matter where we are in the standings,” said Bev Priestman, Canada's national team coach. I know I could have done it,” he said. I'm happy and excited, but I'm not taking anything for granted. ”
World Cup champion Spain is in Group C along with Japan and Brazil. Nigeria or South Africa will join that group as another CAF qualifier.
The U.S. men's team will face France in Paris after being drawn in the same group as the men's tournament hosts.
The U.S., making its first Olympic appearance since Beijing in 2008, faces a potentially daunting challenge in Group A with France, coached by soccer great Thierry Henry.
The group also includes New Zealand and the winner of a play-off between teams from the Asian Confederation and African Confederation.
World champions Argentina will be drawn with Morocco and Ukraine in Group B, and will be determined by AFC to qualify.
Spain, who finished runners-up in Tokyo, are in Group C with Egypt, the Dominican Republic and another AFC qualifier, but this is yet to be confirmed.
Group D includes Paraguay, Mali, Israel and AFC's final qualifier.
Olympic men's soccer is an U-23 national team with three roster spots open to players over the age limit.
The soccer tournament begins two days before the Olympic opening ceremony on July 24th, with the women's final concluding on August 10th.
This is the first time that a soccer tournament has been decided in the women's final.
The soccer tournament will be held at multiple venues across France, including Paris, Nantes, Bordeaux, Marseille, Nice, Saint-Étienne and Lyon.
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