What is the highest-scoring game in the women’s soccer event at the Olympic Games?

The women’s soccer event at Paris 2024 is well underway and there was drama in Group B, the Group of Death, as Australia and Zambia played out a crazy game in Nice on Sunday. The Matildas, who finished just outside the medals in fourth at Tokyo 2020 and reached the quarter finals in the Rio Games, found themselves trailing 2-4 at the break as Barbara Banda fired in first-half hat trick for the Africans.

Matildas break Zambia’s hearts

Racheal Kundananji extended Zambia’s lead just before the hour but just when it seemed we would witness one of the greatest upsets ever seen in the event, Australia mounted an extraordinary fightback. An own-goal sparked the Matildas’ retaliation, with Steph Catley hauling the team level from the penalty spot then Michelle Heyman sneaking a winner practically on full-time.

It ended Australia 6-5 Zambia - a hammer blow to the Africans, who felt they deserved much more and a result which leaves them with few chances of making the next round.

With 11 goals, it is the highest-scoring soccer game so far at Paris 2024 but where does it stand among the games which have produced the most goals in Olympic history?

Bamba hat trick not enough for Zambia in Tokyo

Funnily enough Zambia were also on the losing side in the the highest-scoring game of all-time and by sheer coincidence, Barbara Banda also scored a hat trick in that game too. With Bruce Mwape in the dugout, Zambia faced the Netherlands in the opening game in Group F at the rescheduled 2020 Tokyo Games. Vivianne Miedema and Lieke Martens had put the Dutch three goals up within the first quarter hour but Banda pulled one back almost immediately. Miedema completed her hat trick just before the half hour and Shanice van de Sanden added another to make it 1-6 at the break.

The second half was a free-for-all, with Jill Roord, Lineth Beerensteyn then Victoria Pelova getting on the scoresheet and Miedema grabbing her fourth. Two late goals within a minute from Banda made it 3-10 but there was no way back for the Africans. That’s who it finished and it remains to this day the highest-scoring match in the women’s soccer event in any Olympic tournament.

Curiously, the all-time record was set and then reset in the same edition. At Amsterdam 1928, Argentina thrashed the United States 11-2 in the Round of 16 but just under a fortnight later Italy trounced Egypt 11–3 in the game for third place - 14 goals in one game making it the highest-scoring soccer game in Olympic history.