Welcome to the Guardian minute by minute opening ceremony for the 2012 Olympic soccer tournament. Predating the official games opening by a couple of days, our version is an equally vibrant and spectacular opening worthy of the greatest show on earth. It's edgy and modern and combines the pyrotechnic awe of Beijing with the whimsy of a million below the line comments. And it's definitely NOT just a guy with a laptop hoping the wifi holds up.

(unplugs...waits for ten seconds...restarts)

OK, let's skip the spectacle and get straight to the sport - we're kicking off the women's Olympic soccer today and we're not messing about - Great Britain have got us underway against New Zealand, and now the Gold medal favorites, the USA, are starting their campaign against a French side who are no slouches themselves. The two sides met in competition just last year, of course, in the semi-finals of the World Cup. The USA won that one (despite being given a lot of problems by a very technically astute French side), and if Abby Wambach repeats her World Cup form, or Alex Morgan continues her fantastic goalscoring streak, they'll fancy their chances of starting their tournament with another win today. France though, have all that ability on the ball, and a world class playmaker in Louisa Nécib, and if they need any further inspiration as to what is possible, they have only to look at what happened to the US women against Japan in last year's World Cup Final.

Ah yes, Japan. Having dispatched Brazil (and Marta) with Wambach's famous last minute goal in the quarter finals, then prevailing against an emerging French side who were one of the dangerous dark horses in last year's tournament, the US came up against a Japan side whose fairy tale run was expected to end in the final. Instead the Japanese scored a late equalizer and won on penalties, as team USA continued their strange streak of alternating between World Cup (1999) and Olympic (1996, 2004, 2008) wins, but never quite managing to hold both titles at once.

Sadly for their opponents, the loss to Japan only seems to have strengthened the US women's resolve to do things right this year. They've looked in pretty formidable form as they try to do just that - and memorably beat the world champions 4-1 in a friendly in Sweden last month to hopefully lay the ghost of Frankfurt to rest. So they're in a confident and determined mood as they hit Britain. Can France dent that confidence? Maybe. This is a touch start for both sides.

We'll have more on the build up and team news in a minute - for now get your tweets and emails coming in to @KidWeil or graham.parker.freelance@guardiannews.com and to whet your appetite - here are the highlights of that US victory over Japan in June...

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Kick off is 12pm EST 5pm BST.

The US women like the Olympics. Since soccer was added to the line up in 1996 they've won 3 of the 4 tournaments - the only blemish being their losing out to Norway in the 2000 final. Not a bad record then...

If there's been a knock against them recently it's been an over-reliance on the combative center forward Wambach - though there's always a case for building a team round a weapon that's that effective. With some of the better technical sides finding ways to close down her supply lines from out wide though, the emergence of 23 year old Alex Morgan onto the scene has come just at the right time. Close down the US and she blows right past defenders, at speed, to score from acute angles. Back off them and those supply lines to Wambach open right up again - as the strikers' two goals apiece against Japan demonstrated amply.

Their defense can be a little more suspect, and the loss of Ali Krieger doesn't help. Nor too, perhaps does the demise of the women's professional league in the US (a sad development in the 40th anniversary year for Title IX). But as coach Pia Sundhage has pointed out, it's made it easier for the national team to get practice time together - and as Japan can ruefully testify, they're hitting form at just the right time.

It's possible the French Olympic Federation misunderstood the invitation to bring an Olympic team to face the USA - eleven of the French squad are from the Olympique Lyonnais women's team... Their numbers include Louisa Nécib, who as we've discussed has the creativity and vision to cause the US defense problems, and who has led her club to consecutive UEFA Champions League titles. With the knowledge these players have of each other's play and their undoubted technical skill, France could have a lot of quality possession and Hope Solo could have a busy afternoon in the US goal.

Incidentally the men's Olympique Lyonnais side also seem to have got a somewhat confusing memo about playing the US - they're actually playing in the US. The Trophée des Champions, the French equivalent of the Charity Shield, is taking place at New York's Red Bull Arena this weekend, with OL taking on Montpellier.

Half time in the Great Britain v New Zealand game. Looks like the British started slow, but gradually looked like dominating the half as it went on. Don't take my word for it though - you can follow that one live with Georgina Turner here.

USA: Solo; LePeilbet, Rampone (c), Buehler, O'Hara; Rapinoe, Boxx, Cheney, Heath; Morgan, Wambach

France: Bouhaddi; Renard, Meilleroux, Franco, Bompastor; Necib, Abily, Bussaglia, Delie; Thiney, Thomis

All your favorites then - Necib starts for France; Morgan and Wambach spearheading the US attack, and Rapinoe installed out wide to send those crosses in for the latter. Rampone captaining the side and running the defense - more on her in a moment. And of course Hope Solo is in goal.

Counting down to kick off now, but just time for a quick acknowledgement of one of those remarkable Olympian feats that answer that rhetorical question of "where did the years go?" Answer: they were stolen by an elite athlete in some weird Dorian Gray-style act of time-vampiring. There can't be any other explanation for the fact that the US captain Christie Rampone, 37, will be playing in her fourth Olympics and should she start today, will be playing her 17th Olympic game amid her 260-odd national team appearances (which also include FOUR World Cup finals), while looking impossibly fresh-faced.

OK, we're off. Rapinoe gets down the right and wins a throw deep in France's half, but the US can't make anything of it and France have a goal kick.

Sorry to segue so abruptly into the game - some rather ill-timed NBC product placement interrupted my view. US knock a free kick into the French box, but it pinballs around a little before heading safely clear.

Decent start and pressure from the US. Rapinoe gets another chance to fire one in. Her first cross is blocked by the French and then she's dispossessed and the French will try to work the ball forward.

Now Morgan gets forward and cuts inside her marker, but her floated cross from just inside the box is just over Heath's head. First bright moment from Morgan though.

France try to build patiently - they play a lot of balls to feet, but so far the US have been alert to them. Heath picks up a turnover, but her long ball forward is too close to the keeper and France will regain possession.

Almost a very sweet move there as Rapinoe's through ball is flicked sharply by Morgan for Boxx, but the move just breaks down on the edge of the box. Morgan is down after a tough tackle and will need some treatment. Still USA 0 France 0.

Morgan is up and walking to the sidelines to get a little more treatment, but she looks OK. It was a tough tackle that caught her. Wait a minute...

USA 0 FRANCE 1 (THINEY!) Out of nowhere France get forward and Thiney hits an absolute screamer past Hope Solo, who has no chance in the US goal.

USA 0 FRANCE 2 (DELIE!)

Things unraveling for the USA! Emboldened by their goal, the French get forward and after the ball ricochets around the US box, with the defense unable to clear their lines, Delie, who has a pretty impressive goalscoring record of her own, lashes past Solo. This is a real test for the US now...

And now Boxx is forced off with injury - Lloyd on.

Slightly better for the US as they pick up their first corner. What can Rapinoe do with it...

USA 1 FRANCE 2 (WAMBACH) The US hit straight back in the simplest fashion. Rapino swings in her corner to the back post and Wambach does what Wambach does. She heads powerfully back across goal to bring the US immediately back into the game.

Fascinating start to this game. The US are physical and showing a lot of hustle to try and close the French down and force turnovers, but the French have amply demonstrated their potential to break down the defense by biding their time to strike from possession.

Solo has to hack clear after a forced back pass - not a bad kick from a keeper that's been a problem area for. Game settled down for a moment.

A visit from royalty! Women's United FC (@wunitedfc) tweet:

"Our friend @KidWeil is live blogging the #USWNT game today for the @guardian across the pond. Do follow along!"

Women's United do sterling work stateside getting women supporters involved with the game. And I am their friend - it says so there.

The US pick up a free kick just inside the French half...

...it's a good deep one by Rampone, and France struggle to clear their lines as Rapinoe and Morgan harry. France break and almost split the defense with a through ball, but Solo claims it.

Morgan streaks forward but slightly overhits her side pass to the unmarked Wambach. Wambach is forced wide and can't get the ball back into the box. The US beginning to stir, but the pieces aren't quite joining up yet.

Half an hour gone then and the US still trail 2-1. France force a turnover in a dangerous position and probe round the edge of the US box, but for the moment the US defense stand firm.

USA 2 FRANCE 2 (MORGAN!)

What an opening half! The ball is cleared long by the US and Wambach gets up to head it down into the box, where Morgan is there to hook the ball home over the keeper from just by the penalty spot. Both the striking tandem on the scoresheet with typical goals. This game has turned round for the US...

Immediately France try to counter, getting their forwards swarming forward and moving well. They have a corner...

...it's cleared and the US press up - catching the tall Renard, who'd stayed forward, offside.

Buehler gets the better of Delie near the corner flag - she'll have to contest that duel well all afternoon. Just as I write that Delie controls a raking cross field ball in the box, to make room for the shot. She's leaning back though and her shot flies over. A warning for the US though, in case they thought the momentum was all theirs now.

CHANCE! Thiney finds herself one on one with Solo as she's fed by a smart ball from Necib on the edge of the box. But the keeper gets down sharply to deny her. Then a minute later, France, who are pressing, get another opportunity as Delie's goalward header has to be saved on the line by Solo. This is very enjoyable. Still USA 2 France 2

The game is getting very stretched as the ball is being knocked long from end to end. Delie chases a long ball down but Buehler gets to it first. Then the US try to knock it long again but the move breaks down. France maybe winning more challenges at this stage of the game.

Another long Rampone free kick is knocked down in the box, but no US players can get to the ball and France clear. Then CONTROVERSY as Morgan sprints past her defender and into the box, where she looks to have been brought down from behind by Meilleroux, who got the ball but took Morgan out.

Another corner to the US, but this one is overhit and clears Wambach, who doesn't look to be being picked up that well by the French. They get it clear though and we're deep into the two added minutes of time indicated by the officials.

Rapinoe hits a rather optimistic one up and over and that will be that for the half USA 2 FRANCE 2. Half time thoughts in a minute, when I've managed to catch my breath...

Well as cagey opening tournament games go, that was pretty lively. The US started slowly but seemed to have the most of the early exchanges, before Thiney stepped inside Rampone and drove the French into the lead on 12 mins, before Delie hit a second just two minutes later. At that point the US were reeling, but they came back through a typical Abby Wambach powered header, then with the half coming to a close, Morgan was on the spot to showcase her own talent for opportunism and even things up.

It's a very open game and Delie is looking a constant menace for the French. The US are countering well, but would like to get more of the ball to wrest the initiative from a French side happy to look for sudden openings from patient build up play. This is perfectly poised for the second half.

Jim Bauld writes (with judicious use of spacing):

"Two teams attacking

4 goals

A sunny day

And it's only half time

Don't they know they're in Scotland and we expect dour 0-0 draws!! This will never catch on!!"

As we've already noted Jim, it's fairly atypical fare for any opening tournament game. Great advert for the women's game etc etc

OK. We're about to start again.

US come out of a huddle on the pitch and we're off again. Couple of French substitutions which I'll let you know about in a minute.

Morgan has made a couple of runs forward early in the second half, but nobody's been able to find her yet. Now Heath tries a cute little through ball to Wambach but France cut it out.

Meilleroux is out for France. Doubtless the sight of Morgan barreling round her at high speed towards the end of the first half didn't help her case...

Rapinoe battles her marker on the right of the box and manages to earn a corner...

...havoc in the box as the ball is knocked down and forced goal wards, forcing Bussaglia to hack off the line. Almost a third for the US, who are causing problems with their set pieces.

France try to work their passing triangles in the US half but the US get it clear and try some possession play of their own. They need more of this. The ball comes wide to Rapinoe, and her low cross forces Renard to make a clearance for the corner. Good start by the US.

Arlo White, calling the game, is sure to get his Seattle Sounders reference in, as he mentions Rapinoe coming from their women's side. he used to call the men's games before his NBC days. Hang on...

USA 3 FRANCE 2 (LLOYD!)

COMEBACK COMPLETE! Rapinoe forces a turnover on the right and darts forward before cutting the ball inside into the path of Lloyd, who out-Delie's Delie by hammering a shot into the top left corner, with Bouhaddi nowhere. The US looking very strong this half and getting their reward early.

Now France try to string things together on the counter as Thiney surges forward, but as she spreads the play the move breaks down on the return. The French need to settle down and try to relieve some of this US pressure. They've looked unimpressive so far this half.

Morgan is flattened in the box again but it was a shoulder charge and nothing doing on the penalty appeals.

The Women's United crowd (@wunitdfc) are back again:

"@KidWeil @gdnussports the Euros must be cringing! US 3-2 now! :-) #USWNT"

Possibly slightly overstating the case for general European empathy for French misery there, but we get the point ladies.

Renard is down after getting a kick to the head from Abby Wambach. I wish to go on the record and say that I would not like to be kicked in the head by Abby Wambach. She's walking to the sideline looking a little dazed. The French won't want to lose her height at the back.

Another email. Marc Howlett writes:

"Hope Solo, Abby Wambach, and Alex Morgan might get most of the press, but Megan Rapinoe is my favorite US player. She is dominating the second hal against the French. She's dispossessing the French of the ball deep in their half and playing some great balls. What a playmaker!"

Exhibit A - her hustle in advance of Lloyd's goal.

From a corner, the US switch things up and Morgan hits a cross that Renard heads clear. They still look shaky at the back.

USA 4 FRANCE 2 (MORGAN!)

Yet another turnover sees Heath sprinting down the left in acres of space. She arrows towards the byline and Wambach draws all the defenders to the near post as she contests the cutback. It leaves Alex Morgan totally unmarked at the back post to tap in at point blank range and the US are rampant!

France have been very poor in the second half but now they try to build from a deep throw - they have a corner as a result but can't make much of it. But they're at least beginning to apply some pressure in the wake of those two US goals.

Chants of "USA! USA! USA!" ring around Hampden Park - coinciding with France's best period of the half. They have another corner, as the veteran Soubeyrand comes on as the final French substitute. Again France can't make anything of the corner and the US get forward on the counter. The move breaks down though. USA 4 France 2.

Long French ball forces Solo to rush out to clear her lines. Now Alex Morgan comes off to a big cheer, as Amy Rodriguez comes on to keep the two-goal striker rested.

Solo up very strongly to claim a cross pretty far out in her box. She looks very commanding back there.

Another email, from Joyce Adams:

"As an American out in Seattle, I can only imagine that I'm going to be following a great deal of the Olympics via the GU live blogs during work hours. Just a quick query: why are the women's football matches relegated to the old-fashioned OBO/MBM format, rather than the new spiffy Olympic-style?



Is this the Guardian's equivalent of sticking the Japanese women in economy while the men ride in business class?"

As this MBM should have made abundantly clear Joyce - I've just about mastered the art of pressing "enter"...

So we're heading into the last ten minutes of what's been an absorbing game. France have a fee kick but as with most of their set pieces, they're not able to ask any tough questions of the US defense. Delie has been a much more muted presence in this half - having tortured the US back line in the first half. Now they threaten again with a dangerous low ball across the six yard box that gets between the defense and Solo, but runs out before Thomis can reach it. Still USA 4 FRANCE 2

Mostly long ball stuff from France right now - the build up play is out the window. But it forces Rapino to concede a corner that's then curled in dangerously by Soubeyrand. Then another corner that the US clear, but only as far as the French, who will build again.

The US are understandably playing deeper now as they try to manage this game to its conclusion. Now Rapinoe comes out for Leroux (the only player on the US squad not to have been part of the squad for last year's World Cup). The 22 year old will help relieve some pressure with her constant running.

Sudden break for the French as they're two on two at the back, but Thomis overhits her final touch and Solo dives on the ball gratefully. that was sloppy from the US to be caught out like that from this game position.

Another email, from Kim Perkins, who wins a lifetime supply of having me forward our liveblogs to her address:

"I wanted to thank you, Graham, and guardian.co.uk for having this live blog available. I tried turning the USA vs France game on while at work, and the only game I could find was the Great Britain vs. New Zealand game. Now, no offense to Great Britain or New Zealand, but I would much prefer to see our game! :) I watched the GB vs NZ game, though, until I was able to find your blog. I am very happy to be able to follow along with our girls, and "see" how well we're doing. I have always been a fan of guardian.co.uk, as I have good friends in Edinburgh, but this makes you guys all the more awesome in my book! Thank you!"

You're welcome Kim.

Leroux does a couple of sharp little give and goes before bobbing towards the byline and earning a corner off the defender...

...no short corner for the US - as Brandy Chastain points out in the commentary, it's just not in their nature. The French clear it and get another chance to break. It's smothered, but perhaps the US should be concentrating a little better to just see this one out. As it is they'll have two minutes of added time to protect this lead USA 4 FRANCE 2

Another long ball from the French that asks too much of Thomis as she tries to beat the US back line. Now the US clear and get the ball into the corner with Heath, who wriggles clear and crosses the ball, but the keeper picks it up and gets it clear.

And that will be that. FINAL SCORE: USA 4 FRANCE 2. Great start in the end for the US. Final thoughts in a moment.

So a strong second half display from the US turns on the afterburners against a dangerous French side who had them rattled early on. In the end the margin of victory looked pretty comfortable, but how important was that Wambach header to pull one back just moments after the French went 2-0 up? It sowed the seed of doubt in the French side and fired up the US.

In the second half the US were pressing high up the field and forcing the turnovers that won them the game. Rapinoe was a menace throughout and Solo was ever more settled as the game went on. Only bad news is the loss of Boxx with a hamstring injury.

Nominally that's the hardest game out of the way for the US. We'll be back with their next game against Columbia. More goals please. Thanks for all your tweets and emails (particularly all of you who are sneakily following the game from work - I'll spare your blushes but you know who you are). See you next time.