The seventh edition of the women’s Olympic football tournament officially gets underway this morning as Great Britain kick off proceedings at the Sapporo Dome.
It is nine years since we last saw Team GB in competitive action as they reached the quarter-finals at London 2012, where their medal hopes were cruelly extinguished by two-time bronze medalists Canada.
Hege Riise’s side have only played one solitary warm-up match in the build-up to Japan after a proposed meeting with Zambia was cancelled, with Ellen White notching a brace and new Arsenal signing Nikita Parris also on target in a 3-0 win over New Zealand last week.
GB’s strong and mostly English squad are expected to be in contention for a medal this summer, though Group E poses some potential challenges in the form of hosts Japan and old foes Canada.
2018 Copa America finalists Chile, meanwhile, are making their Olympic debut following an impressive rise under coach Jose Letelier that saw them reach the World Cup for the first time in France two years ago.
