Three days after its victory over Colombia (3-2), the French team lost this Sunday to Canada, as part of the second day of the group stage of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
It was at the last second, after 12 minutes of added time, that Hervé Renard’s players cracked, surprised by a goal from Vanessa Gilles (90e +12). The Blues had nevertheless nicely opened the scoring in this game, through Marie-Antoinette Katoto (42e), before suffering the equalizer from Jessie Fleming shortly before the hour mark (58e).
Concern for Renard and Peyraud-Magnin
Other drawbacks for the French selection were the injury-related exits of goalkeeper Pauline Peyraud-Magnin, who suffered a head injury in a fortuitous duel with her teammate Griedge Mbock, and captain Wendie Renard, who was injured in the left thigh.
Les Bleues are nonetheless in a favourable position to qualify for the quarter-finals of the Olympic tournament, with three points on the board – as many as Colombia – while Canada is at zero despite its two wins. The fault lies in a six-point penalty collected for trying to spy on New Zealand in training. New Zealanders against whom it will be necessary to take a point at least in three days to see the second phase of the competition.
