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Team GB will kick off the women’s football group stage at this summer’s Olympic Games at the Sapporo Dome when they face Chile. They will also face Canada and Japan as they begin their road to the final.
As part of Prost International’s in-depth and insightful coverage of the Women’s game this summer, we take a look at the three teams that Hege Riise’s side will face as they look to book their place in the knockout stages.
Chile National Team – 37th in the FIFA rankings
The Chilean Women’s National Team are writing history, competing at their first Olympics just two years after their first appearance at a Women’s World Cup.
Led by Lyon goalkeeper Christiane Endler they beat Cameroon 2-1 on aggregate to secure their place at this year’s games in Tokyo. Despite not making it out of the group stages in their debut appearance at the World Cup, there’s no doubt they will do their all to make their nation proud this summer.
As the game’s edge closer, Chilean fans will be getting very excited to see their nation perform on such a big stage, but who should they be looking out for in particular?
The obvious player, of course, would have to be Lyon goalkeeper Endler.
She is known for currently being one of the best shot-stoppers in women’s football so she will be looking to help her team get as many clean sheets as possible, with fast reactions and brilliant ball distribution.
Jose Letelier, who guided them to their first-ever major tournament two years ago, selected a squad with all but one player making at least one international appearance, with the exception being 18-year old goalkeeper Antonia Canales who comes in for her first major tournament.
Letelier, formerly a professional goalkeeper himself, will put his trust in captain Endler as he looks to guide the nation with pride. Having been in charge of La Roja since 2015, the 55-year old will look to continue to make history with the talented squad he has at his disposal.
Japan National Team – 10th in the FIFA rankings
Japan will be looking to challenge for gold at this year’s games as the host nation is looking to set the bar high this summer.
With two remaining London 2012 silver medal-winning players still in the squad, they will be looking to combine experience with young talent as they look to go that one step further.
Saki Kumagai, one of the two players in the squad who secured silver in London as well as winning the 2011 World Cup will be one to watch in Tokyo. As captain, the centre-back will be looking to lead a relatively young squad all the way.
A young player to watch out for is 23-year old Yuzuho Shiokoshi, who scored twice in an 8-0 win over Ukraine in a recent friendly. WSL player Mana Iwabuchi also got her name on the score sheet twice in the same game, so will be looking to add to her tally too.
Head coach Asako Takakura has combined six overseas players with 16 players who play in their home country as she looks to guide her team to a podium finish after nine years of being away from the Olympic spotlight.
Seven-time Women’s Coach of the Year winner, Takakura has been in charge of the squad since 2016 where she became the first woman to take on the role.
Featuring in the Olympic games herself in 1986, the 53-year-old knows the feeling of representing a nation but also the pressure that it can put on teams, so she will understand that it will not be an easy road to the final.
Canada National Team – Eighth in the FIFA rankings
A team with a wealth of experience and plenty of goals to their name, Canada will look to get far this summer as they come off back-to-back bronze medals at these games, being only one of five nations to irrespectively qualify for four consecutive Olympic tournaments and the only nation to reach the podium in both London and Rio.
With hundreds of goals and caps combined, this experienced squad will look to use their knowledge of previous Olympic games to navigate their way to a podium finish.
All-time record goal-scorer Christine Sinclair will lead the team out this summer as she will hit 300 caps for the Canadians. Despite being 38, the current Portland Thorns striker does not have any plans to hang up her boots and hopes to continue her career beyond Tokyo.
There will also be the likes of veterans Sophie Schmidt and Desiree Scott who will add to the wealth of experience in the 22-woman squad. 20-year-old Jordyn Huitema will also be one to watch out for.
Head coach Bev Priestman, who previously took charge of England’s under-17’s and assisted the senior squad under Phil Neville for two years, will be looking to continue to make history with her talented squad as she takes them to her first-ever major tournament.
Priestman has put together a very versatile squad with a vast amount of qualities and a wide range of ages, with multiple players such as Shelina Zadorsky and Kadeisha Buchanan being able to play in multiple positions when it comes to tactical decisions.
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