The United States women's national soccer team was received with jeers during their Rio Olympics campaign opener against New Zealand. Goalkeeper Hope Solo was constantly targeted with abuses by the local supporters as the American women's national team embarked on its journey to claim a fourth straight Olympic gold medal by comfortably defeating New Zealand 2-0 in Belo Horizonte on Aug. 3.
The U.S. team which is the front runner for the Olympic gold medal at Rio, early in the second half found itself at the receiving end of abuse from the local supporters at Estadio Mineirao. Solo was booed while taking goal kicks and met with loud chants of "Zika" from the hostile crowd every time she cleared the ball from her penalty area, Channel NewsAsia reported.
The controversial World Cup winner and Olympic champion had voiced her concern pertaining to Zika virus before traveling to Brazil. Earlier in the week, she had also posted a photograph on Twitter of herself wearing a beekeeper's mask while holding a huge bottle of insect repellent. Her post created a stir and was reported extensively in the Brazilian media.
The former U.S. player and NBC analyst Kate Markgraf reckoned that the taunts would only motivate the team. Markgraf said that the last thing you want to do for the U.S team is to give them any reason to come together. "You give them something to focus on instead of getting worried about how they will perform, that can only be a positive for them," USA Today reported her saying.
The U.S. comes to the tournament as favorites after winning three consecutive Olympic golds and last year's women's World Cup. The team never looked troubled yesterday during their Group G opening game. They managed to comfortably cruise to victory after goals from Carli Lloyd -- the reigning World Player of the Year and captain of the side -- and their forward Alex Morgan.
Llyod put her side in the front in the ninth minute when her looping header off a cross from Tobin Heath beat Kiwis' goalkeeper and found the back of the net.