U.S. women face Sweden in group stage at Olympics

Rose Lavelle, a Cincinnati native who played for the Dayton Dutch Lions in 2014 and 2016, and her United States teammates train in Stockholm, Sweden, earlier this month ahead of the friendly against Sweden. The United States will open the women’s Olympic soccer tournament on July 21 against Sweden, the team that beat the World Cup champion Americans in the quarterfinals at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games. The two teams were drawn into Group G on Wednesday and will also play Australia and New Zealand at the Tokyo Games. The Oceania neighbors will also play on July 21, two days before the Olympics officially open. Defending champion Germany did not qualify. Host nation Japan was put into Group E with 2016 bronze medalist Canada, Britain and Chile. The Netherlands, which reached the 2019 World Cup final, will face Brazil, China and Zambia in Group F. In the men’s tournament, Olympic champion Brazil will face silver medalist Germany in Group D on July 22, one day before the opening ceremony. The group also includes Ivory Coast and Saudi Arabia.