Tokyo 2020: China’s women avoid United States in Olympic football draw
- Steel Roses avoid world No 1 US, Great Britain and Sweden in draw that sees them face lowest possible ranked teams
- Zambia make up their group for tournament which begins on July 21
They have avoided tournament favourites and world No 1 USA as well as the two highest-rated teams in pot two – Rio 2016 runners-up Sweden (No 5) and Great Britain (No 6). Holders Germany did not qualify.
China were unable to face hosts Japan or the other Asian Football Confederation qualifier Australia.
With Japan in pot one that meant China would face either Netherlands or Fifa Women’s World Cup holders the USA.
That means No 14 ranked China face the third-best team in the world in the Netherlands, seventh-ranked Brazil and the lowest ranked team in the tournament, No 104 rated Zambia.
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The Zambians were one of three teams ranked lower than China in the draw along with No 22 New Zealand and No 37 Chile.
The other groups see hosts Japan, Canada, Great Britain and Chile in group E with the US, Sweden, Australia and New Zealand in group G.
Canada, who came third in Rio, were also in pot three with China so the teams could not meet in the group stages.
In the men’s draw, group A saw hosts Japan handed meetings with South Africa, Mexico and France.
Group B is made up of New Zealand, South Korea, Honduras and Romania, while group C see Egypt join Spain, Argentina and Australia.
The final group D sees holders Brazil meet Germany, Ivory Coast and Saudi Arabia.
Unlike the women’s tournament where there are no restrictions, the men’s competition is limited to players aged under-23 with the exception of three over-age players per squad.
This has been extended to men who are under-24 after the Games was delayed for a year.
The Tokyo 2020 football tournament takes place from July 21 to August 7, beginning with the women.
