GREAT BRITAIN’S women’s football team have seen their plans for a pre-Olympics warm-up match dashed with their clash with Zambia reportedly kiboshed.
BBC Sport claims the July 1 friendly game between the two sides has been called off 20 days before Team GB’s first match at the Tokyo Games.
The announcement comes ten days after Man City stopper Karen Bardsley was forced to withdraw from Hege Riise’s squad due to injury, with Chelsea’s Carly Telford replacing her.
In a statement the FA said: “Due to circumstances beyond everyone’s control Zambia have had to withdraw from the National Lottery-hosted GB Women’s Football send-off game on 1 July.
“The African nation – who will also be taking part in the Olympic Games in Tokyo next month – had to pull out because of complications linked to COVID-19 restrictions.
“Ticket refunds will be issued to all purchasers.”
Olympic champion Hege Riise, who won gold with Norway at the 2000 Games, will lead the GB squad at this summer’s Games.
Team GB’s friendly encounter with Zambia would have been the first competitive test for the side who have been drawn in Group E at the Tokyo Olympics.
It would have seen Riise’s aces pit their wits against an African team who have qualified for the Games for the first time in their history.
The match, which was due to be aired on BBC Four and held at Stoke City Stadium, was expected to be attended by a limited number of paying fans.
And it would have been the only opportunity for Great Britain supporters to watch the team in action on home turf.
Riise, 51, is one of only three women in the world to have won an Olympic gold medal, a World Cup and a European Championship
And the former Norway international had been eager to see her side perform in front of home nations fans.
Prior to the fixture’s cancellation the Team GB head coach said: “It has been a long time since supporters have had the opportunity to watch any of the home nations play.
“The chance to see our GB squad compete before the Games is a rare occasion indeed.”
Great Britain will take on Chile in the first of their three Group E fixtures in Tokyo on July 21.
This is only the second time that Team GB have entered a women’s football team in Olympic competition since the introduction of the sport to the Games’ schedule in 1996.
Team GB fielded a football squad for the first time in the London 2012 Olympic Games.
The team reached the quarter-finals, with the United States the eventual winners after beating this summer’s hosts Japan 2-1 to win gold for a third consecutive time.
They will then play hosts Japan on July 24 before taking on Canada who are coached by former England Women’s assistant Bev Priestman.
Team GB’s opener against Chile will take place at the Sapporo Stadium.
And it was at the 41,580 capacity venue that David Beckham grabbed headlines by netting a penalty against Argentina in the 2002 World Cup.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
