Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Rio de Janeiro: Asia’s representatives at the Women’s Football Tournament at Rio 2016, Australia and China, found out the first steps on becoming the continent’s first Olympic gold medalists following Thursday’s draw at the Maracana.
Australia, taking part in the Olympics for the first time as a member of the AFC having represented the OFC (Oceania Football Confederation) at Athens 2004 and on home soil in Sydney four years earlier, have been drawn in Group F where they will face debutants Zimbabwe, Canada, and Germany, while China, silver medallists at the inaugural tournament in Atlanta in 1996, take on hosts Brazil, Sweden, and South Africa in Group E
The top two teams from each group along with the two best third ranked teams will qualify for the quarter finals.
An impressive display in the qualifiers in Osaka saw Alen Stajcic’s side win their first four games to guarantee Australia’s return to the Olympics for the first time in 12 years before a 1-1 draw with China in the final round of fixtures saw the Matildas finish top of the six-team table.
The Steel Roses went into the last match of the qualifiers having also booked their place at the Rio Olympics in the penultimate round, with their 1-0 defeat of Korea Republic coupled with Australia’s 2-1 victory over DPR Korea, ensuring China would finish in the top two when the curtain came down on a thrilling competition.
GROUP E: Brazil, China, Sweden, South Africa
GROUP F: Canada, Australia, Zimbabwe, Germany
GROUP G: USA, New Zealand, France, Colombia
KEY DATES:
Wednesday, 03/08/16:
Brazil v China (Olympic Stadium, Rio de Janeiro)
Canada v Australia (Corinthians Arena, Sao Paulo)
Saturday, 06/08/16:
South Africa v China (Olympic Stadium, Rio de Janeiro)
Germany v Australia (Corinthians Arena, Sao Paulo)
Tuesday, 09/08/16:
China v Sweden (Mané Garrincha Stadium, Brasilia)
Australia v Zimbabwe (Fonte Nova Arena, Salvador)
Friday, 12/08/16 - Quarter-finals:
Match 19: 1st G v 3rd E/F (Mané Garrincha Stadium, Brasilia)
Match 20: 2nd E v 2nd F (Fonte Nova Arena, Salvador)
Match 21: 1st F v 2nd G (Corinthians Arena, Sao Paulo)
Match 22: 1st E v 3rd F/G (Mineirão, Belo Horizonte)
Tuesday, 16/08/16 - Semi-finals
Match 23: Winner M21 v Winner M20 (Mineirão, Belo Horizonte)
Match 24: Winner M22 v Winner M19 (Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro)
Friday, 19/08/16 - Bronze medal match:
Match 25: Loser M24 v Loser M23 (Corinthians Arena, Sao Paulo)
Friday, 19/08/16 - Final:
Match 26: Winner M24 v Winner M23 (Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro)
AUSTRALIA: OLYMPIC FACTS & FIGURES
www.the-afc.com/en/more/photo/aus_woqs_celebrate_jpg.html
www.the-afc.com/en/more/photo/chn_woqs_celebrate_jpg.html
