https://www.futbolmundial.com/ The U.S. Olympic Men’s Soccer Team couldn’t have been handed a tougher assignment in the program’s long-awaited return to the tournament. And for an hour on Wednesday in Marseille, the Americans went toe-to-toe with the fancied French in their Group A opener. But Les Bleus, inspired by veteran captain Alexandre Lacazette, eventually broke through and won 3-0 before a sellout crowd of 67,000 at the Stade Vélodrome.
The 2024 Olympic Men’s Soccer Tournament kicked off two days before the Opening Ceremonies in Paris and features the USA for the first time since 2008. It had been 5,824 days since the American men graced the Olympic stage. And they were far from overawed on Wednesday, despite the setting and the opponent’s reputation.
The U.S. defended well and came close to taking the lead on two occasions. But Lacazette, who at 33 was the oldest player on the pitch (men’s Olympic teams can field three players older than 23), broke the tie just after the hour mark. He then fed compatriot Michael Olise for France’s pivotal second within 10 minutes.
The quiet start to Wednesday’s affair suited the U.S. As France passed and probed, the Americans held firm and the din inside the Vélodrome died down. Although Les Bleus had most of the ball in the opening half, they rarely threatened and didn’t force a save from U.S. goalkeeper Patrick Schulte until the 35th minute.
Center backs Miles Robinson and Walker Zimmerman, two of the USA’s three overage players, were rock solid. France’s five first-half corner kicks and 13 total crosses produced little. Meanwhile, U.S. midfielders Tanner Tessman and Gianluca Busio—teammates at newly-promoted Serie A side Venezia—did well to help slow down the opposition attack and limit the influence of Olise, the French playmaker.
U.S. winger Paxten Aaronson created what wound up being the best chance of the half. He freed himself inside the French penalty area with a 38th-minute touch past defender Kiliann Sildillia and then hit a low shot toward the left post that goalkeeper Guillaume Restes had to kick away.
The visitors again came within inches of breaking the deadlock in the 59th, but a long-range bid from midfielder Djordje Mihailovic, the squad’s third overage player, crashed off the French crossbar. The match finally started to come to life and in the 61st minute, the game’s elder statesman lifted the favorites into the lead. Lacazette, the 33-year-old, long-time Arsenal and Olympique Lyon forward, found a sliver of space in midfield and beat Schulte to the left post from about 25 yards.
The Americans didn’t fold and responded with their best sustained attacking spell of the game, nearly drawing level just a couple minutes later. But Aaronson’s 63rd-minute header off a cross from Kevin Paredes was well saved by Restes, and U.S. left back John Tolkin struck the left post with his own header (off another Paredes cross), just seconds later.
France then put the game away in the 69th. Olise, the London-born attacker who recently joined Bayern Munich from Crystal Palace, did the damage with a perfectly-placed, curling shot from just outside the U.S. penalty area. Center back Loïc Badé, who plays his club ball for Sevilla, added a French exclamation point with his header off a corner kick to make it 3-0 I the 85th minute.
U.S. substitute Griffin Yow, who scored a late goal in the March friendly between the teams, found the net again on Wednesday, but his stoppage time marker was whistled for offside.
The Olympic tournament includes 16 nations playing in four groups of four. The top two finishers in each quartet following a round-robin will move on to the quarterfinals. New Zealand defeated Guinea 2-1 in the other Group A match on Wednesday.
The USA will return to Marseille for a crucial meeting with New Zealand on Saturday, July 27 (1 p.m. ET, USA Network, Telemundo, Peacock).
GOAL SCORING RUNDOWN
FRA — Alexandre Lacazette (Michael Olise), 61st minute: The French captain retreated into midfield to receive a feed from Olise, held off U.S. midfielder Gianluca Busio and lashed a low, hard, 25-yard shot across the face of goal and into the left-side netting. FRA 1, USA 0
FRA — Michael Olise (Alexandre Lacazette), 69th minute: Lacazette returned the favor in the 69th, finding Olise on the right edge of the U.S. penalty area. Olise beat Paxten Aaronson to the inside and bent a shot past diving goalkeeper Patrick Schulte and inside the left post. FRA 2, USA 0
FRA — Loïc Badé (Joris Chotard), 85th minute: Badé, a center back, created separation from his U.S. counterpart, Miles Robinson, as Chotard took a corner kick and powered an unstoppable header into the upper-left corner. FRA 3, USA 0 FINAL
