Team GB pose for photographs ahead of their Olympic women's friendly soccer game against Sweden ahead of the London 2012 Olympic Games. (Photo : Reuters)
With the London 2012 Summer Olympics set for open next Friday, the American women's football, or soccer, team will attempt for capture their 4th gold title.
The first women's football games are set on July 25 with six matches scheduled to take place. The American team, under the Group G category, will face France at 12 p.m. ET. Fellow Group G country's Colombia will challenge the Democratic People's Republic of Korea at 2:45 p.m.
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Host of this year's games, Great Britain, will be the first women's football to be broadcasted on July 25 under Group E, as they'll face New Zealand at 11 p.m. Cameroon and Brazil will compete at 1:45 p.m.
Finishing up the first day of women's football play will be Japan vs. Canada at 12 p.m., then South Africa against Sweden at 2:45 p.m.
The captain for the American team is Christie Rampone, returning for a record fourth Olympics, along with the impressive goalkeeper Hope Solo.
Since women's football was made an Olympic sport in the Atlanta 1996 Summer Olympics, the US has won every year except the Australian Games in 2000, where they won silver against Norway. In total, 24 games have been played with 18 victories and two losses, scoring 42 goals.
The American team is the heavy favorites to capture their fourth gold medal and according to predictions from the Bleacher Report, they'll face Brazil in the semifinals before competing Japan in the final.
The Japanese women's football team has made headlines recently after reports say the female athletes flew on economy class while their male counterparts sat in business while on route to London.
"It should have been the other way around," said 2011 FIFA women's world player of the year and Japanese football athelete Homare Sawa. "Even just in terms of age we are senior."
The Japan Football Association defended the decision stating the men's Olympic team was in business class because they are professionals. The women's team is likely the bigger attraction after their capturing their first victory at last year's Women's World Cup, month after the Japanese earthquake and tsunami.
Sports Illustrated previews the athletes to watch are American forward Alex Morgan, who scored a goal and an assist in last year's final. Great Britain's forward Kelly Smith is another prospect, previously scoring 45 international goals. Also on their list is Japan's Sawa, who led the team to their World Cup win last year.
The gold medal game will be played at Wembley Stadium on Aug. 9, at 2:45 p.m. ET.
The London 2012 Summer Olympics will be broadcasted on the networks of NBC Universal.
