Lloyd hails Swanson's record-breaking double in opening USA win over Zambia

Swanson, who missed the previous year's women's World Cup due to a knee injury, quickly alleviated the team's concerns about scoring goals by netting two goals in a remarkable first half for the USA on Thursday, following Trinity Rodman's opening goal in Nice.

After the US took a 2-0 lead, they promptly regained possession in Zambia's half, leading to Swanson's second goal and breaking former captain Lloyd's record from the 2015 World Cup final.

"It hasn't been an easy journey for her, but she has shown resilience and perseverance throughout. There's still plenty more potential in her. I'm proud of her!" the former captain stated on X.

Coach Emma Hayes, who assumed the US role in May, secured her inaugural competitive victory.

The US is seeking to recover from their disappointing performance at the World Cup, where they were eliminated in the last-16 - their poorest result in the tournament's history.

They will strive to maintain their momentum as they face a more challenging opponent in Marseille on Sunday against 2016 gold medallists Germany, who began their campaign with a convincing 3-0 triumph over Australia.

"There were certain aspects of our formations that I found unfavorable in the first half, but those are simple adjustments," Hayes remarked.