It's all about the attack. Again. It was always going to be. Last summer, that group's inability generate goals was the U.S. women's national team's demise. In Thursday's Olympic opener against Zambia, the U.S. had no such issue.
It isn't all sunshine and butterflies, though, despite the decisive 3-0 win. Despite a near-perfect start to the Olympics, there are unexpectedly real concerns about the USWNT attack, which will need to be addressed if this team has visions of gold in these Games.
The positives were obvious: Mallory Swanson, the missing piece from last summer, was dominant as she scored two goals in a minute. Trinity Rodman was a menace, too, scoring a stunning goal of her own.
But the negatives? Big. Sophia Smith limped off with an injury just before halftime, while Jaedyn Shaw didn't even make it that far, as she was sidelined pre-game due to a knee injury. Barely 90 minutes into this global tournament, and the U.S. is battling injuries in perhaps the most vulnerable part of their game.
In that sense, Thursday was both a massive win for the U.S., but also a disquieting one. Tougher tests are coming in the group stage, and it remains to be seen how this U.S. team can line up for those matches. All eyes will remain on the attack, a unit that will make the biggest difference between success and failure.
GOAL breaks down the winners and losers from Thursday's Olympic-opening win over Zambia.