Olympic soccer: USWNT to face Germany, Australia; US men grouped with host France

PARIS (AP) — The United States women’s soccer team will face Germany and Australia at the Paris Olympics when incoming coach Emma Hayes looks to get off to a flying start in the job.

The draw for the men’s and women’s soccer tournaments were held at a ceremony in Saint-Denis on Wednesday.

The record four-time gold-medalist was drawn against fifth-ranked Germany and World Cup semifinalist Australia in Group B. Those teams will be joined by either Morocco or Zambia from the African Football Confederation.

Hayes takes up her role as U.S. head coach in May after finishing the season with Chelsea, where she is challenging for a quadruple of trophies in her final year. She has already won 14 major trophies at Chelsea, including six Women’s Super League titles.

The U.S. hasn’t won Olympic gold since 2012 and is coming off a disappointing Women’s World Cup last year when it suffered its earliest exit from the tournament after being knocked out by Sweden on penalties in the round of 16.

Defending champion Canada was drawn in Group A with host France, Colombia and New Zealand. Before winning the gold medal at the Tokyo Games, Canada won back-to-back bronze medals in London and Brazil.

The U.S. men’s team will face France at the Paris

Games after being drawn in the same group as the host nation for the men’s tournament.

The U.S. men are competing at the Games for the first time since Beijing in 2008 and faces a potentially daunting task after being drawn alongside France in Group A. Also in the group are New Zealand and the winner of a playoff between teams from the Asian and the African confederations.

Men’s Olympic soccer is national Under-23 teams with three roster spots available for players over the age limit.

The soccer tournament will begin two days before the opening ceremony of the Games on July 24, with the women’s final concluding the event on Aug. 10.