This article was provided by the NSCAA Women's Committee. Photos credited to Mirko Kappes.

Day 1 at the Olympics was a thrilling start to what is shaping up to be a very exciting competition. 

Highlights from Day One

1. Flag Mishap: The North Koreans left organizers in a panic when they refused to take the field, after the South Korean flag was put next to one of the North Korean players on the big screen. Their game against Colombia was subsequently delayed for over an hour, as the North Koreans protested the gaffe of epic proportions. Once they finally took the field, they overpowered the South American nation, 2-0.

2. African First-Timers: The African debutantes struggled in their first matches. Both South Africa and Cameroon had a rough debut to their Olympic experience, playing powers Sweden and Brazil in their first match, losing 4-1 and 5-0 respectively. South Africa had a brief highlight when Portia Modise scored a cracker of a goal from half field in the 60th minute to get the South African's on the scoreboard, while Cameroon faced a South American side that was firing on all its offensive cylinders. Cameroon and South Africa will have both shaken out the jitters and look for redemption against Great Britain and Canada respectively in their next games July 28.

3. USA Depth and Composure: Despite the US going down 2-0 and losing Shannon Boxx to injury early in the first half, the Americans came firing back on all cylinders as Abby Wambach started the comeback with a beautiful header off a Megan Rapinoe corner in the 19th minute, as the crowd was gifted a goal fest with 3 goals in the first 20 minutes. Alex Morgan showed her nose for the goal in the 32nd minute with an acrobatic turn and deft finish, while Shannon Boxx's replacement Carli Lloyd hit a trademark long distance strike in the 56th minute, which proved to be the winning goal. The US finished their comeback with a brilliant through ball by Rapinoe in the 66th minute that Tobin Heath fired dangerously into the box. Morgan showed her nose for the goal, by standing in the right place at the right time and calmly tapping the ball into the open goal for her second goal of the game. The US served notice that they are close to unstoppable when firing on all cylinders, although their defense showed their vulnerability against the ever improving French.

4. Stars Return: Great Britain and New Zealand, while excited for their first match, were both no doubt relieved to have arguably their best players back on the pitch from injury: Great Britain's Kelly Smith made her debut from a long term leg injury while New Zealand's Ali Riley came back from an ankle injury that was sustained in a friendly against Canada a couple of weeks ago, that left her status doubtful. Both had solid matches in their return, as Riley made her trademark runs up the left flank, while Smith did a solid job of directing the Great Britain offense. Steph Houghton proved to be the difference, as she gave Great Britain their only goal with a superb free kick that she took in the 64th minute that proved to be the decider to send the home fans away happy.

5. Canadian Deja-Vu: Canada's opening match against Japan had eerie similarities to both their opening game against Germany in the 2011 World Cup, and their match-up against the US in Salt Lake last month. In Germany, the Canadians hung strong against a formidable opening opponent, keeping a score line closer than the play indicated, while having one of their key players injured, as Christine Sinclair went down against the Germans in 2011. This time it was Candace Chapman who crumpled to the ground in the last 5 minutes of Canada's first match at the Olympics, with what has been reported to be a calf injury, which will no doubt leave Coach John Herdman concerned. Replicating the match against the US in Salt Lake, Lauren Sesselmann again made a crucial goal line save against the Japanese in the second half, as she did against the US. Then, a miscommunication between Carmelina Moscato and Erin McLeod gifted the Japanese a goal, as they did in the first half against the US, this time against Japan in the 44th minute, which doubled the Asian power's lead. As against the US, Melissa Tancredi showed her lethal finishing, with a strike around the 50th minute as she sliced the Japanese lead to one goal. The final score, as it was against the US, was 2-1 in favor of Japan in the opening game for them in the Olympics, and they look again in form to challenge for a medal.

Be sure to tune in tomorrow, Saturday, July 28, as the teams are back on the pitch for their second game of the Olympics (schedule can be found here).

For more stories and scores for women's soccer check out Our Game Magazine: www.ourgamemagazine.com. 

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