MARSEILLE, France (AP) — On a wild opening day for the Olympic males’s soccer event, the USA got here inside the width of the crossbar from taking the lead towards host nation France.
Inside moments, Alexandre Lacazette had the ball behind the Individuals’ internet — and when Michael Olise added a second for the French, they had been on their solution to a 3-0 win.
“It was unlucky — on one other day perhaps it goes in,” stated Djordje Mihailovic, whose long-range effort got here again off the bar when the Group A recreation in Marseille was nonetheless goalless within the second half. “I feel most significantly, (we have to) emotionally get better as a result of we had been within the recreation for the primary 70 minutes, even after they scored, we responded very nicely.”
Earlier within the day, Morocco beat Argentina 2-1 in a recreation that was suspended for about two hours as a result of followers invaded the pitch deep into stoppage time. And the U.S. seemed prefer it may produce one other upset when repeatedly opening France up within the first Olympic recreation for American males since 2008.
“I can’t say something to the gamers. They had been in the precise spot,” U.S. coach Marko Mitrovic stated. “I’ve that feeling inside that we didn’t need to lose this fashion.”
The US by no means got here nearer than Mihailovic’s effort, and France made probably the most of its fortune — responding with beautiful strikes from Lacazette within the 61st minute and Olise within the 68th.
Loic Bade added the third with a header within the eighty fifth.
“I knew it was going to be robust. You guys by no means hand over,” France coach Thierry Henry informed American reporters afterward. “That combating spirit is all the time in you. You all the time imagine you could come again. I do know that. I performed in MLS, I coached in MLS, so I do know that’s one thing that you’ve got.”
It was two moments of high quality that finally put France in management, with former Arsenal striker Lacazette driving low from round 20 yards previous U.S. goalkeeper Patrick Schulte.
New Bayern Munich signing Olise curled a shot from distance into the identical nook.
Bade’s header successfully put the sport away and noticed France transfer to the highest of Group A, forward of New Zealand, which beat Guinea 2-1.
“There was positively stuff to make us really feel good going into the following two matches,” Mihailovic stated.
Morocco 2, Argentina 1
Morocco secured an unforgettable win over Argentina — however not earlier than livid followers invaded the pitch to protest what gave the impression to be an equalizer by Cristian Medina within the Sixteenth-minute of stoppage time.
Objects had been thrown onto the sector and safety needed to restrain followers, inflicting the sport in Saint-Etienne to be suspended for practically two hours and the gang being informed to go away the stadium.
The aim was finally dominated offside simply earlier than play resumed, drawing celebrations from Morocco gamers as the ultimate minutes concluded.
It was a chaotic and dramatic begin to the event after Argentina, which received gold medals on the 2004 and 2008 Olympics and is taken into account among the many favorites in France, mounted a comeback after going 2-0 down on objectives from Soufiane Rahimi on both facet of halftime.
Giuliano Simeone struck within the 68th minute and Argentina peppered Morocco goalkeeper Munir El Kajoui with photographs earlier than Medina’s header from shut vary appeared to tie it.
That precipitated outrage from Morocco followers, who rushed the sector, whereas others threw trash, and the sport was formally placed on maintain.
Rahimi had put Morocco forward in first-half stoppage time, then transformed on a penalty kick within the forty ninth, which proved to be the decisive aim towards an Argentina group that included 4 members of the squad that received the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Spain 2, Uzbekistan 1
Sergio Gomez scored the successful aim in Spain’s victory over Uzbekistan to open Group C.
The match at Parc des Princes in Paris was the first official competitors of the Olympics and drew some 35,000 followers.
Marc Pubill scored within the twenty ninth minute for Spain, which received the gold medal on the 1992 Olympics. The group has received silver twice since then, most not too long ago on the Tokyo Video games.
Eldor Shomurodov transformed on a penalty kick in first-half stoppage time to tie it for Uzbekistan, which was making its first Olympic look.
Gomez had a penalty saved by Abduvohid Nematov within the 59th minute, however some three minutes later he scored from about 12 yards out.
New Zealand 2, Guinea 1
Ben Waine scored the go-ahead aim and New Zealand received its Group A opener over Guinea in Good.
New Zealand was awarded a penalty within the twenty fourth minute, however Guinea goalkeeper Soumaila Sylla dove to punch away captain Matthew Garbett’s try. New Zealand shortly recovered and Garbett scored a minute later for a 1-0 lead.
Guinea leveled with Amadou Diawara’s aim within the 72nd, however New Zealand answered a minute later via Waine.
New Zealand superior to the quarterfinals on the Tokyo Video games, whereas Guinea was making its Olympic debut.
Egypt 0, Dominican Republic 0
Egypt and the Dominican Republic performed to a scoreless attract Group C in Nantes.
Peter Gonzalez’s obvious aim for debutant Dominican Republic early within the match was referred to as again due to a foul within the run-up.
Egypt has been to the Olympics 13 instances, probably the most by an African nation, however has by no means completed greater than fourth. The group made the quarterfinals on the Tokyo Video games.
Japan 5, Paraguay 0
Shunsuke Mito and Shota Fujio scored two objectives every in Japan’s rout of Paraguay in Group D.
Japan took full benefit of Paraguay being decreased to 10 males in Bordeaux when Wilder Vera was despatched off within the twenty fifth by scoring 4 objectives within the second half. Vera was proven pink following a VAR evaluation of a foul on Yu Hirakawa.
By that time, Mito had already opened the scoring within the 18th. He added a second within the 63rd.
Rihito Yamamoto made it 3-0 six minutes later and Fujio, who got here on for Mito within the within the 73rd, rounded off the win with objectives within the 81st and 87th.
Iraq 2, Ukraine 1
Substitute Ali Jasim got here on to seal a comeback win for Iraq towards Ukraine in Group B.
Ukraine had led via Valentyn Rubchynskyi’s opener within the 53rd in Lyon, however Iraq was shortly given the possibility to stage from the penalty spot.
Aymen Hussein transformed within the 56th and Ali struck the winner within the seventy fifth.
Iraq is high of the group, stage with Morocco on three factors.
Mali 1, Israel 1
Mali got here again from a aim all the way down to tie Israel at Parc des Princes in Paris in Group D.
Israel took the lead via an personal aim from Mali defender Hamidou Diallo earlier than Cheickna Doumbia headed into the underside nook to even the sport.
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AP Soccer Author Anne M. Peterson in Good, France, and AP Sports activities Author Jerome Pugmire in Paris contributed to this report.
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AP Summer time Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games
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