Group play continues as the United States Women’s Olympic Soccer Team takes on Germany on Sunday, July 28th at 3 p.m. ET and 9 p.m. local time. After a vibrant win over Zambia, Team USA will take the same turf at Stade de Nice in the south of France in hopes of taking down the 2016 gold medal champions.
DraftKings Sportsbook is the action spot for women’s soccer in the Olympics, providing a variety of options to place wagers and root for your favorite teams. Spain has moved up to the favorite to strike gold at +160, followed by strong competition in USWNT at +220 and France at +450. Before I break down some of my favorite picks for USA vs. Germany, let’s dissect the Olympic openers.
GROUP B GAME 1 RECAP
USA VS. ZAMBIA
The USWNT quieted the doubters with an absolutely dominating performance over Zambia, shutting out the Copper Queens 3-0. Right from the whistle, USA came out peppering the goal, nearing taking the lead 30 seconds into the game with a shot attempt from captain Lindsey Horan. It was 22-year-old Trinity Rodman, though, who notched the first goal of the USWNT’s stint in France in the 17th minute with an impressive spin move to beat two defenders. The domination continued in the first half as Mallory Swanson received a perfect through ball from Horan and struck the back of the net, only to score another goal just a minute after with an insanely similar play. USA finished with 27 shot attempts to just eight from Zambia, 78.6% possession and eight shots on goal.
Zambia looked overwhelmed by the Olympic favorites and played scramble, recreational ball for all 90 minutes. While the USA couldn’t convert key goal-scoring opportunities in the second half, this squad showed convincing fluidity on offense, powering defense, grit, and set a winning tone for their next matchup.
GERMANY VS. AUSTRALIA
Despite missing the 2020 Olympics and not making it out of group play in last year’s world cup, the Germans opened up the tournament with a 3-0 win over Australia. Before the tournament, concerns of a weak midfield without star Lena Oberdorf led some questioning Germany’s ceiling, but an impressive opening game put the squad back on track.
Plain and simple, Germany dominated on set pieces. Marina Hegering and Lea Schüller both scored header goals off corners from Giulia Gwinn and were left unmarked in the box. The third goal came off another Australian mistake as the Germans caught the Matilda line a step behind, resulting in an easy tap in to the far post by Jule Brand. While possession was split down the middle, Germany doubled in shot attempts and were far more efficient offensively.
USA VS. GERMANY: PICKS AND PREVIEW
Giant meet giant! Both squads are dominating forces in women’s soccer, are tied on top of Group B, and have reached gold in the 21st century. The key for the U.S. is simple: defend set pieces. Germany scored 2⁄3 goals against Australia off corner kicks and were close to a third in that same game. Aggression in the air and throughout the midfield will be a huge factor in this game as Germany likes to play physically to seize control. Both teams have killer strikers, but unlucky touches in front of the net has plagued the USA before, from hitting the crossbar to bounces off the post. The USWNT will have to focus on finishing in the attacking third while playing poised if they want to take down their long-time European foes.
The last time these two countries met on the turf was for a friendly in November of 2022—USA took the victory 2-1 with goals from Sophia Smith and Mallory Swanson.
TOP PICKS:
USA Moneyline (+120)
Before you yell at me for being biased, let me explain my reasoning. Yes, this will be a challenging matchup, but the USA has the edge in the way they command the middle third and apply pressure in the attacking third. Midfielders Lindsey Horan and Rose Lavelle—who is on a minutes restriction—flawlessly dominated the center against Zambia and created numerous scoring opportunities for themselves and their strikers.
Defensively, Niaomi Girma and Crystal Dunn played lights out and were able to contain one of the most in-form strikers in the world in Barbra Brand, which will translate to Germany’s weapons Lea Schüller and veteran Alexandra Popp. Trinity Rodman scoring her first goal with the national team also cements her influence on the field, from flashy moves to aggression against defenders. Plain and simple, this squad was able to make opportunities in more ways than just corner kicks. This isn’t bias, just facts. Give me USA.
Moneyline First Half — Draw (+115)
This isn’t Zambia or Australia. Both these teams have insanely talented goal scorers that can get the job done. USA’s incredible defense leads me to believe the Germans will get no more than a goal in the first half, and couple with the USA’s past struggles in finishing, I’m convinced the first half will end in a tie. If Germany can dominate the air on free kicks and corners, they’ll have the edge in the box. But don’t count out the speed of Mallory Swanson and Sophia Smith. We have a brawl on the way!
Correct Score — 2:1 (USA) (+650)
I can’t imagine we will see a high-scoring game this time around. Both teams looked electric in their opener and will bring that momentum into Marseille on Sunday. Goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger—who plays in the NWSL—is coming off of a stelar season in the box, and USA’s Alyssa Naeher has the reach and athleticism to defend attacks from anywhere in her area. This game will come down to finishing in the attacking third and taking advantage of every set piece and opportunity each squad has.
Head to DraftKings Sportsbook to view more ways to get in on the action of the group stage, and stay tuned for a preview of Team USA’s third game of the tournament vs. Australia.
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All odds provided by DraftKings Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.
All views expressed are my own. I am an employee of DraftKings and am ineligible to play in public DFS or DKSB contests.
