🇫🇷🔥 It was a night of high drama and sizzling soccer as France soared to a 3-0 victory over the USA in the opening match of the 2024 Olympic men's football preliminaries! The roar of the crowd in Marseille was electric, and the atmosphere charged with Olympic spirit.
The USA came out swinging, nearly shocking the hosts when Djordje Mihailovic unleashed a rocket from long range that rattled the crossbar 🎯— so close to breaking the deadlock! \"It was unfortunate—on another day maybe it goes in,\" Mihailovic reflected.
But France capitalized on their fortune. Just moments after the near-miss, Alexandre Lacazette ignited the stadium with a low drive into the back of the net in the 61st minute. And before the USA could regroup, the magic continued as new Bayern Munich signing Michael Olise curled a stunning shot into the corner just seven minutes later! 🎩✨
Loic Bade sealed the deal with a commanding header in the 85th minute, sending Les Bleus to the top of Group A. \"I knew it was going to be tough. You guys never give up,\" France coach Thierry Henry praised the American squad.
Despite the scoreline, the USA showed heart and hustle throughout the match. Coach Marko Mitrovic remained positive: \"I can't say anything to the players. They were in the right spot. I feel we didn't deserve to lose this way.\"
As for Mihailovic, he's looking ahead: \"There was definitely stuff to make us feel good going into the next two matches.\" 💪
Other Highlights from the Day
- 🇲🇦 Morocco 2-1 Argentina: A wild encounter that was suspended for two hours after fans stormed the pitch deep into stoppage time! 😱
- 🇪🇸 Spain 2-1 Uzbekistan
- 🇳🇿 New Zealand 2-1 Guinea
- 🇪🇬 Egypt 0-0 Dominican Republic
- 🇮🇶 Iraq 2-1 Ukraine
- 🇯🇵 Japan 5-0 Paraguay: An absolute goal fest! 🎇
- 🇲🇱 Mali 1-1 Israel
The opening day has set the stage for an epic tournament, and we can't wait to see more thrilling action! Stay tuned for more updates as nations battle it out on the road to Olympic glory! 🏆🌍
Reference(s):
France beat USA 3-0 to start 2024 Olympic men's football preliminaries
cgtn.com
