Paris Olympics 2024/ Female Football: Canada upsets France in Olympic Thriller, Quarter-Final hopes in Limbo
In a dramatic and injury-marred match, France fell to Canada (1-2) on Sunday, casting doubt on their advancement to the quarter-finals.
Despite a determined effort, the French team’s persistent issues resurfaced at a critical moment, while the victory breathed new life into Canada’s tournament journey.
Following a hard-fought win against Colombia in their Olympic opener, France took to the field at Geoffroy-Guichard Stadium to face Canada.
Positioned second in their group, France aimed to secure a quarter-final berth with a win.
Meanwhile, the Canadians, reeling from a six-point FIFA penalty over a drone espionage incident, needed a victory to avoid early elimination after their Tokyo gold medal triumph.
Hervé Renard made strategic changes, starting Bacha and De Almeida over Karchaoui and Lakrar.
Canada, desperate for points, began aggressively, putting immediate pressure on the French defense.
France’s high pressing yielded early ball recoveries, exemplified by Toletti’s interception at the 20-meter mark, though her shot was too weak to trouble Sheridan.
Despite France’s aggressive play, technical errors hindered their control of the game.
A notable scare came when Peyraud-Magnin mishandled a Lawrence cross, nearly leading to a Canadian goal before Mbock’s timely clearance.
Nonetheless, France took the lead through Katoto just before halftime, hinting at a possible victory.
However, Canada’s persistence paid off in the second half, turning the match in their favor and leaving France’s quarter-final fate uncertain as they look to overcome their ongoing challenges.
