Team Great Britain Football managers Hope Powell and Stuart Pearce
Women's football kicks off the London 2012 Olympics today - two days before the official start - as athletes pour into the country and organisers put the final touches on the opening ceremony.
The referee's whistle at 4:00 pm (1500 GMT) will start not only Great Britain and New Zealand's clash at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium, but will open a 19-day festival of sport watched by billions around the globe.
In Coventry, world champions Japan open their bid for a famous double when they take on Canada, while heavyweights the United States play France at Glasgow's Hampden Park.
Brazil play Cameroon, Sweden face South Africa and Colombia are against North Korea as battle begins for a Games-wide total of 302 gold medals culminating on August 12.
http://www.london2012.com/football/e...ootball-women/