FT: Team GB 0-0 Sweden
Team GB’s women side have work to do if they want to achieve a medal at the 2012 London Olympics after a 0-0 draw with Sweden at Middlesbrough’s Riverside Stadium.
The match turned into a fairly mundane affair, with most of the shooting coming from distance.
Coach Hope Powell though got a good indication of where her side is in their Olympic debut as a team.
On the plus side, star striker Kelly Smith looked sharp on her return from injury.
Attacking moments
She came closest to breaking the deadlock, having a first-half effort creep wide from long distance and a goal chalked off for offside just before half-time.
The British squad had the best of the attacking moments and struck the woodwork through substitute Rachel Yankey after the restart.
Sweden might be World Cup bronze medallists but they showed very little going forward.
However the Scandinavians did create the best opening of the match, which wasn’t taken by their main threat, Caroline Seger.
Going forward, Powell will be happy with the chances created, even if the finishing was below-par.
There were some defensive concerns however, which on another day might be punished by a more coherent side.
Enough to escape
After the match, Powell spoke to BBC Sport.
She said: “I think we need to play with a bit more freedom. I learned that we have gelled in parts but in the first half, we played within ourselves.
“We were a little big negative at times when we could have gone forward, final-third play, little things.”
Team GB’s women have been drawn in the football tournament alongside Cameroon, New Zealand and Brazil in Group E.
They kick the Olympics officially off with a match against New Zealand on Wednesday, June 25 at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, two days before the opening ceremony.
Although the game in terms of quality wasn’t the best, there was enough to suggest that Team GB’s women can get out of their group without too much difficulty.
By Simon Wright – Follow me on Twitter @Siwri88
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