The USWNT looks to make a run at the 2024 Olympics as they face Zambia. It is time to continue our 2024 Olympics Women's Soccer odds series with a USA-Zambia prediction and pick.
This will be the first major competition for the United States since their disappointing round of 16 exits in the 2023 World Cup. It has also been a while since the United States won at the Olympics. In the 2020 games in Tokyo, the United States came second in their group and advanced to the knockout round. They would fall to Canada in the semi-finals before getting Bronze. In 2016, they won their group but fell to Sweden in penalty kicks in the quarterfinals, failing to come home with a medal. Still, they took their fourth Gold Medal back in 2012, winning in the United Kingdom.
Meanwhile, Zambia made their first ever appearance in the Olympic games in 2020. There, they took two losses, including a 10-3 route to the Netherlands, but also had a draw against China. They failed to advance from the group stage. In 2023, they made their first-ever World Cup but also did not advance out of the group stage.
Here are the 2024 Olympic Women's soccer odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
2024 Olympics Odds: USA-Zambia Odds
USA: -3000
Zambia: +5000
Draw: +13000
Over 3.5 goals: -136
Under 3.5 goals: +108
How to Watch USA vs. Zambia in Nice
Time: 3:00 PM ET/noon PT
TV: USA Network
Stream: (Click Here for Free Trial)
Why the USA Will Win
With Alex Morgan being left off of the USWNT roster, it will be up to a new bunch of starts to take over in these Olympic games. Mallory Swanson will be one of those stars. So far in the NWSL season, she has scored seven times with three assists in 15 matches. On the international stage, she has scored 24 times with 14 assists, in 40 starts and 65 appearances. She did not play in the 2023 World Cup but did score once with an assist back in the 2019 games. Further, she had an Olympic goal back in 2016 and in the two friendlies so far this year, she has scored twice with an assist.
Trinity Rodman will also look to be a threat to the United States. She struggled in the World Cup, not having a goal or an assist. Still, she had four international goals and five assists in ten starts and 26 total matches. She is also a solid passer. She created 3.81 shots per 90 minutes in the last World Cup. Lindsey Horan will be patrolling the midfield for the United States. She has 18 international goals and 15 assists in 72 starts for the national team. Horan scored twice in four games in the last World Cup, and in the 2020 Olympics scored once and had an assist. Further, she is a solid defender. Horan has not made a mistake that has led to a shot in her last two World Cups and last Olympics.
Alyssa Naeher is expected to be in goal for the United States. In the World Cup in 2023, she allowed just one goal on two shots, while also having three clean sheets. Still, she would lose in penalties in those games. In the last Olympic, she had one clean sheet and allowed a save percentage of 70 percent. Overall, in 64 states for the USWNT, Naeher has 42 clean sheets.
Why Zambia Will Win
With Evarine Katongo and Susan Banda both out of these games due to injury, goals will need to come from elsewhere for this squad. That starts with Rachael Kundananji. The forward has been solid in recent competition. She has scored three times and has two assists in her four recent international friendlies. Further, he scored once in the World Cup in 2023. Still, he had an expected goal of 1.3. Kundananji also has Olympic experience. She scored and had an assist in two games back in 2020.
Barbra Banda will also be looking to step up. In her last four friendlies, she has scored four times and has an assist. Banda also had a goal and an assist in the World Cup in 2023. She also has great Olympic experience. In the 2020 Olympics, Banda finished with six goals in just three games, scoring on average once a half in those games. She also took one penalty kick in those six goals, making it.
Catherine Musonda will be in goal for Zambia. She played in just two games in the World Cup in 2023, allowing five goals on 12 shots on target. While she did have an expected total of 5.2 goals, the issue for Zambia is the number of shots thye allow on target, giving Musonda an incredibly difficult job.
Final USA-Zambia Prediction & Pick
Zambia allows a ton of shots on target. The defense is weak, and while their goaltender is good, she is not elite. Still, Zambia could be able to score. Barbra Banda is a wonderful goal scorer, and while she will not get a lot of opportunities, she should be able to net one. This will result in a very high-scoring game, making the best pick on the over on this game at the 2024 Olympics.
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Final USA-Zambia Prediction & Pick: Over 3.5 (-136)
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