NICE, France —
The Emma Hayes era officially got under way Thursday, with the U.S. beating Zambia 3-0 on the opening day of the women’s soccer tournament at the Paris Olympics in a game that was far more one-sided than the scoreline.
Playing on the French Rivera in steamy Nice, wedged between the Mediterranean Sea and the French Alps, the Americans dominated in their new coach’s first competitive game on the sidelines, getting two goals from Mallory Swanson, another from Trinity Rodman and two assists from captain Lindsay Horan — all in the first 25 minutes.
There were few witnesses to any of that since the match drew a gathering so small, players could be heard shouting to one another from the top deck of Allianz Rivera Stadium.