RIO DE JANEIRO — The din drowned out all the noise.

Brazil finally got a celebration on Wednesday after months of bad headlines and international concern. The nation’s women’s soccer team took the field two days before the Opening Ceremony and the atmosphere in the Olympic Stadium was loud and festive from the opening kick.

“To be at home with this energy, this crowd, is something I will never forget,” said Monica, the Orlando Pride player who scored the team’s first goal in a 3-0 victory over China.

There have been concerns about slow ticket sales and small crowds, and there have even been worries about support for Brazil soccer after repeated disappointments from the men’s side. But none of that showed up on Day 1, as a sizable crowd came early and stayed late.

Rafaela Souza, 34, brought her 7-year-old son and both were dancing in the aisles after the match was over. “My first time in this stadium,” she said. “It’s very cool.”

What’s been somewhat lost in the lead-up to these Games is how Rio loves to celebrate. We saw that in the first weeks of the 2014 World Cup, with fans lining Copacabana Beach and welcoming even rival Argentine fans who arrived to camp there. It was a party as only the Cariocas know how to party.

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Some of that faded when Brazil lost 7-1 to Germany, casting a dark cloud over the sunny people here. Even now, it’s still hard to find a men’s national team jersey on the streets. Brazil soccer has been a letdown of late, to such an extent that its downward spiral has been linked to President Dilma Rousseff’s impeachment.

Yet the Selecao colors were in full display here Wednesday in support of the women. It was a landmark day, not only because of the opening of competition in the host city, but also because it was proof that a women’s team once neglected in Brazil has gained a lot of popularity in a short amount of time.

“It’s so much more than before,” said Marta, one of the team’s best-known stars. “We know a lot of things must improve, but it’s so much better now.”

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The United States, the defending Olympic champions and reigning World Cup champions, are runaway favorites in this tournament. But every soccer fan knows how much home field matters in a tournament like this, and din matters too. A meeting between the U.S. and Brazil would be something close to bedlam here, and that seems ever more possible after the convincing victory over the Chinese.

The build-up to the Games revealed real problems – and important issues. But now that Rio 2016 has begun, new storylines are ready to emerge. One to keep an eye on is the Brazil women’s team, which could be one of the best of the Olympics.