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U.S. Women's Soccer Starts London Olympics With A Comeback Win

Carli Lloyd scores the U.S. team's winning goal, in a comeback win over France. The Americans are bidding for their third straight Olympic gold medal.
Graham Stuart
/
AFP/Getty Images
Carli Lloyd scores the U.S. team's winning goal, in a comeback win over France. The Americans are bidding for their third straight Olympic gold medal.

On the first day of competition in the 2012 Summer Olympics, the U.S. women's soccer team bounced back from an early deficit to beat France, 4-2. The game was a rematch for the two teams that met in last year's World Cup semifinals.

France jumped out to a 2-0 lead before the match was 15 minutes old, scoring on a breakaway run by Gaetane Thiney; moments later, a short-range shot found the back of the net after several U.S. players failed to clear the ball following a corner kick.

But the Americans soon struck back, with forward Abby Wambach heading in a corner kick from Megan Rapinoe. In the 31st minute, Alex Morgan scored the first of her two goals to bring her team even with the French.

In the second half, Carli Lloyd, who had earlier replaced an injured Shannon Boxx, put the U.S. ahead for the first time, firing a laser from the right side of the penalty box after receiving a crossing pass from midfielder Megan Rapinoe.

The U.S. squad picked up 3 points in the game, played in Glasgow, Scotland. The Americans, who are trying to win their third consecutive Olympic gold medal, will face Colombia Saturday at noon EDT.

Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

Bill Chappell is a writer and editor on the News Desk in the heart of NPR's newsroom in Washington, D.C.
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