We’ve profiled numerous Women’s Olympic Soccer players that you need to keep an eye on during these games.
Up next is Kosovare Asllani, a Swedish footballer of Kosovo-Albanian descent, who currently plays for Manchester City, of the Women’s Super League. She’s also played for Paris Saint-Germain in the French Division 1 Féminine and and (obviously) the Sweden women’s national football team. Prior to PSG she played her club ball with Kristianstads DFF in the Damallsvenskan; and also locally with the Chicago Red Stars.
That’s right, she has local connections, as she played for the Red Stars in 2010, when the league was known as WPS, not NWSL.
Aslanni, a proficient forward with great speed and technique, will face three current members of the Red Stars on the USWNT in Julie Johnston, Christen Press and Alyssa Naeher.
Kosovare Asllani will be critically important for the Swedes today if they are to advance past USA in the round of 8.
Sweden is a solid team (ranked #6 in the world, #4 in UEFA) but they are heavy upsets in this one. Sweden had a bit of a rough go in the group stages of the 2016 Olympics, winning its opening match 1-0 against South Africa, but then got totally out-played by Brazil, losing, 5-1. Needing at least a point to advance, Sweden got it in its 0-0 draw with China PR in its final first round game and edged out New Zealand on goal difference (-3 to -4 for the Kiwis) to make the knockout stage.
Sweden has qualified for every Women’s Olympic Football Tournament to date, but they have yet to win a medal.
The Swedes’ best Olympic performance so far came at Athens 2004, where they reached the semifinal, one round further than they managed at Beijing 2008 and London 2012 and a considerable improvement on their first two Olympic appearances, at Atlanta 1996 and Sydney 2000, where they went out in the group phase.
Maybe Kosovare Asllanni can help spark the tremendous upset.
-USWNT Profile Series:
You can follow Kosovare Asllani on Twitter here:
Ready for tomorrow's quarterfinal vs USA 13.00 local time (18.00 Swedish)! ???? #sweolympic… https://t.co/3EENNHViCz
— Kosovare Asllani (@KosovareAsllani) August 11, 2016
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, partnered with FOX Sports Engage Network. and News Now. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, currently contributes regularly to the Chicago Tribune’s RedEye publication and Bold Global.
He also consistently appears on numerous radio and television talk shows all across the country. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram and Sound Cloud.