Deemed the “Group of Death” by some, Group F was pretty stacked. Three of the best teams in the world were all vying for the two guaranteed spots, and it seemed like Zimbabwe just got caught in the crossfire. The other members of the group, Canada, Germany, and Australia, will all advance, but it is sadly the end of the road for the first time Olympians Zimbabwe.
Canada takes nine points from Group F
Going into Rio, Canada was expected to be successful. Bronze medalists in London after the world famous semifinal against the United States, the team is hoping to find the podium again. Opening the tournament, the team defeated Australia 2-0, giving them confidence going into the next matches. That confidence was reinforced by their 3-1 victory over Zimbabwe. That acquired boldness was crucial as they faced Germany in the final group match, who is ranked second worldwide. They shockingly defeated them 2-1 to claim the top spot in Group F, setting them up for a quarter-final against France. Captain Christine Sinclair is an offensive force, as per usual, and she’s quickly approaching Abby Wambach’s world record. Janine Beckie, too, is wreaking havoc on opposing defenses, and she broke the record for the fastest Olympic goal by scoring within the first minute of the first game against Australia. The name Melissa Tancredi has terrified defenders and attackers alike for years, so it makes sense that this tournament is no different; She was the one who logged two goals against Germany.
Germany stumbles a bit, but still clinches second place
Entering the tournament, Germany was the favorite to win the group. Proving themselves to be a powerhouse time and time again, it wouldn’t be surprising to see them dominate the group. All went according to plan for the first game when they defeated Zimbabwe 6-1, but their momentum came to a screeching halt against Australia. The Matildas scored their two goals in the first half, causing the Germans to enter halftime scrambling to fix things. They were able to salvage a tie, scoring in the 46th and 88th minutes. For their final group match, they needed a win to finish first. The game against Canada started in their favor when Melanie Behringer converted a penalty kick in the 13th minute but lost the game after they were unable to recover from a pair of Tancredi goals. Without the win, they had to settle for second place.
Despite having only one win, goal differential lets Australia through
Although they’re ranked fifth in the world, the Matildas got off to a bit off a rocky start, falling to Canada 2-0 in the first group match. They picked it up a little in their second match, the tie against Germany, and desperate for a win, they beat Zimbabwe 6-1 in their final match. Sam Kerr made an impact for the team, scoring against Germany in the sixth minute and bringing extra life to her team.
Zimbabwe does not advance, but still scores three goals in their first Olympics
Qualifying for the Olympic tournament for the first time was a huge achievement for Zimbabwe. Ranked 95th by FIFA, they ended up in a group with three teams in the top ten, who ended their journey in Rio rather quickly. Losing to both Germany and Australia 6-1, and to Canada 3-1, they clearly did not get the results they dreamed of. Despite all of that, though, they were able to score a goal in every game, which shows the program’s potential. Getting to such a large stage was a huge step forward for the team, and although they didn’t make it past the group stage, the players will be able to use this as a learning experience, and the 2020 games may be a completely different story.
Moving Forward
Germany, Canada, and Australia all advance to the quarter-finals, and will play China, France, and Brazil, respectively. All of the games will take place on Friday.