Women chase Olympic gold

Three European teams will be competing in the Olympic women's football tournament which starts today.

Separate groups
World champions Germany, runners-up Sweden and Olympic hosts Greece have all been drawn in different groups as eleven nations compete for medals in Athens. Sweden will be in Group E, Germany in Group F while Greece will take their place in Group G.

Greek task
Greece will face a tougher task than their European peers, having been drawn alongside the United States - losing finalists to Norway in the 2000 Olympics - Brazil and Australia in the only group that features four teams. However, they are hoping home advantage will pay dividends.

Home advantage
Team captain Maria Lazarou is confident the Greek public will get behind their team, saying: "I believe that the spectators will be our 12th player. If we feel discouraged at any stage during the match, our supporters will give us strength to do our best. Our group is difficult but we will try until the end for the best possible result." 

Swedish position
Drawn alongside Japan and Nigeria in Group E, Sweden need to put a recent 4-0 friendly loss against neighbours Norway behind them. Marika Domanski-Lyfors' side will be eager to get their confidence back as they start their campaign with a game against Japan in Volos.

Olympic honour
"It will be the greatest moment in my coaching career, aside from the [FIFA Women's] World Cup," said Domanski-Lyfors. That was a sentiment echoed by the team's midfield player Malin Moström. "It is an honour for me to represent my country at the Olympic Games," she explained.

Ljungberg returns
Sweden's cause has been aided by the return from a serious injury of the prolific Hanna Ljungberg, Moström's team-mate at Umeå IK. "The first time we were in the Olympics it was all new to us," she said. "In Sydney we believed in ourselves but didn't gain any momentum. Whether I'll play or not is entirely up to Marika - although I can handle it both physically and mentally."

German problem
Germany start their campaign in Group F with a game against China but may be without key player Sandra Minnert until their second game against Mexico. "We don't want to take any risks," said coach Tina Theune-Meyer. "The second match against Mexico it is still eight days away and hopefully she will be fit again by then."

China challenge
Certainly the coach is expecting a tough game against the Chinese. "China are often underestimated due to their lack of height," she said. "But in defence they stand very solid and in midfield and attack they make every opponent dizzy." Germany and Sweden, along with France and hosts England, have already qualified for the 2005 UEFA European Women's Championship.