Today, our Olympic lead-up concentrates on the pool in which the United States finds itself, one considerably easier than Pool A:

ARGENTINA

How it got here: Won Pan-American Games gold medal

Players to watch: Luciana Aymar, Soledad Garcia, Magdalena Aicega, Alejandra Gulla

Outlook: Argentina ought to be in the top two in the pool, but a string of poor results against the United States in a home test series is a cause for concern in the Lionesses’ camp. If the Albicelestes find their form, they’ll make the medal round. Saturday night’s opener against the United States is the bellweather match for the entire group.

GERMANY

How it got here: won the European championship.

Players to watch: Marion Rodewald, Kristina Reynolds, Maike Stoeckel, Janne Mueller-Weiland.

Outlook: The defending Olympic champions defeated the United States 7-2 in a recent Test, and the U.S. should consider itself lucky that the rematch isn’t until Matchday Three. If the Americans take some momentum from the opener against Argentina, the game against Germany could be the key to medal hopes.

GREAT BRITAIN

How it got here: Bronze medalists in European championships.

Players to watch: Kate Walsh, Helen Richardson, Beth Storry, Lucilla Wright.

Outlook: Given Great Britain’s massive pool of more than a million female players from which to choose, you’d think they could be a top-tier team every year. This England team has some international veterans, but is also carrying 17-year-old Charlotte Craddock on the roster. They appear to be building for London 2012.

JAPAN

How it got here: Got in on world ranking because China, the host nation, won the Asian Cup.

Players to watch: Akemi Kato, Ikuko Okamura, Chinami Kozakura.

Outlook: The Japanese are a team that none other than Frank Murray (head coach of the Australia Hockeyroos) believes can win the entire tournament — surprising, given the fact that this is only the second time the Red Samurai have qualified for the Olympics. Japan came over to the United States and dominated a Test series a year ago, then the U.S. went over to Japan in March and won only once in a five-Test series. The speed and initiative the Red Samurai have shown could give other teams absolute fits.

NEW ZEALAND

How it got here: Won Oceania Cup.

Players to watch: Leslie Igasan, Caryn Paewai, Jaimee Claxton, Krystal Forgesson.

Outlook: The Black Sticks are the true darkhorses of the competition. One of the few teams to have gotten a result over Australia in a game which truly counted, it is a team which also failed to even qualify for the 2006 World Cup. Which team will show up in Beijing?

Tomorrow: The United States.