After all that Mallory Swanson Having spent the last year, she is grateful to be in France. Olympic. She also plans to change things for Team USA.
So far she’s on track: She scored two goals in the U.S. team’s opening Olympic game, a 3-0 win over Zambia.
Swanson was the team’s top scorer with seven goals in the first six games last year when she injured her knee in a friendly against Ireland ahead of the Women’s World CupHer patellar tendon injury required surgery and a lengthy recovery process. It also kept her out of the World Cup.
As the team travelled to the stadium in Nice to prepare for the match against Zambia, Swanson, 26, reflected on his recovery.
“To be a part of this group and have all these girls and coaches and staff around me, supporting me and just being able to support each other to try to achieve something — I’m just so incredibly grateful right now,” she said ahead of the team’s game against Germany on Sunday in Marseille.
The U.S. staff has been cautious with Swanson’s recovery. She practiced with the team — but did not play — earlier this year in CONCACAF Women’s Gold CupShe returned to the team on the pitch at SheBelieves Cup in April.
Swanson has been instrumental in the U.S. attack under new coach Emma Hayes, a former Chelsea manager replaced Vlatko Andonovski after the US team’s disappointing performance at the World Cup.
Swanson is part of a dynamic forward group, with Sophia Smith And Trinity RodmanThe trio made a great combination.
“We’re all really starting to get into the way Emma wants us to play, the principles,” Swanson said. “It’s been really fun, just being able to learn different things and trying to apply them. … The group we have is super special.”
Rodman, making his Olympic debut, scored the other goal in the win over Zambia.
“We’re more than what people think we are. We’re not just a team with fast forwards. We’re more than that,” Rodman said. “We need to believe deeply that we can break teams down. If that’s about letting go and letting go and staying away from each other, then we can bring a lot more depth. And I think living and breathing that on the court will help us improve.”
Swanson debuted in 2016. She was named to the U.S. squad for the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro and played at the 2019 Women’s World Cup, using her maiden name, Pugh. But Andonovski ruled her out of the Tokyo Olympics, citing injuries and inconsistent play.
From Littleton, Colorado, Swanson originally committed to UCLA but never played in a game for the Bruins. Instead, she joined Washington Spirit in the National Women’s Soccer League, becoming one of the first players to forgo college to become a professional player.
Swanson, who was married to Chicago Cubs Baseball Team player stops the ball Dansby Swansoncurrently playing for the NWSL Chicago Red Star.
After Sunday’s match, the fifth-placed United States will finish Group B with Australia on Wednesday, also in Marseille. Germany beat Australia 3-0 in their opening match.
Because the top two teams in each of the three groups will advance to the knockout stages, USA was in good condition.
The U.S. team squandered several scoring opportunities, but it was a team victory nonetheless and a personal triumph for Swanson, who scored two goals just 70 seconds apart in the first half.
Swanson now has 36 goals in 95 appearances for the national team.
“It was a good start,” Swanson said. “But there are little things in that game, in the play, that we just need to fine-tune.”
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According to The Associated Press.
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