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After a disappointing 3-0 defeat to France in the opening match of the Paris Olympics, the U.S. men’s national team showcased a remarkable comeback with a 4-1 victory over New Zealand. The impressive performance at Marseille’s Orange Vélodrome highlighted a collective team effort, as the U.S. secured their first four goals of the Olympics from four different players.
The U.S. set the tone early in the game, with goals from two experienced players on the squad. Djordje Mihailovic opened the scoring with a successful penalty kick in the eighth minute, followed by Walker Zimmerman finding the back of the net from a free kick.
Adding to their lead, the U.S. extended their advantage with a goal in the 30th minute courtesy of 22-year-old striker Gianluca Busio. However, Busio had to exit the field due to an injury just seven minutes later, raising concerns about his availability for upcoming matches.
Paxten Aaronson further solidified Team USA’s lead by scoring the fourth goal of the match, assisted by Griffin Yow. Despite New Zealand managing to score a goal through Jesse Randall in the 78th minute, the USMNT maintained a strong 4-1 lead. Although the U.S. had a few late opportunities to increase their goal tally, they were unable to capitalize.
While the Olympics primarily feature under-23 teams on the men’s side, the U.S.’s triumph on Saturday not only earned them three crucial points but also provided a significant boost in terms of goal difference. This victory is expected to bolster the team’s confidence as they progress through the group stage.
Of note, Mihailovic’s goal marked the first Olympic goal scored by the United States in 16 years. The 2024 Olympics also mark the return of the USMNT to the Games since the 2008 Beijing Olympics, where they exited in the group stage. With a decisive match against Guinea on Tuesday, the U.S. has a strong chance of advancing to the next stage of the competition.