The United States women will not have an easy path to a record fourth consecutive Olympic gold medal. The draw for the tournament placed them in the same group as France and gives them ample incentive to finish first in the group stage.
The Americans are in Group G, along with France, Colombia and New Zealand. The winner of that group would see them face a third place team in the quarterfinals. However, if they finish second, their quarterfinal matchup will be against the Group F winner, which figures to be Germany.
Germany and France are the Americans' top two challengers in the tournament, so the draw isn't ideal ... but it won't be too bad if they can top their group. In that scenario, they will not have to face either in the knockout stages until the gold medal match. Facing a third place team, then likely Sweden or Brazil in the semifinals before a tough final is not only managable -- it's relatively easy.
If they cannot beat out France for first in Group G, then things get messy. Germany would probably await them in the quarterfinals with another clash against France in there as well. Two matches against France and one against Germany is not how the U.S. wants their road to gold to look.
The entire tournament is made easier by Japan failing to qualify. The Japanese played in the 2012 final and the last two World Cup finals, but they went out in qualifying and will not be in Rio.
Group E
Group F
Group G
