France edges Argentina in fiery Olympic soccer showdown
As redemptions go it’s small beer, but France gained a modicum of football revenge at its home Olympics by edging Argentina to a semi-final place.
Jean-Philippe Mateta’s goal was enough to give France a 1-0 victory in Bordeaux on Friday night (local), in a rematch of the 2022 World Cup final, won by Argentina.
Tensions between the two footballing rivals were inflamed further in the aftermath of Argentina’s Copa America title last month, when players celebrated with derogatory songs about French players.
Given the context, the meeting in France’s south-west was always likely to be hostile, and so it proved.
Argentina’s players were jeered and barracked before and throughout the match, only pausing for Mateta’s fifth-minute goal and half-time.
Their treatment – including the booing of the national anthem – follows similar hostilities at the rugby sevens.
It was a night of wasteful finishing from two-time Olympic champions Argentina, summed up when Luciano Gondou blazed over deep into stoppage time.
But the miss of the game — and perhaps the tournament — went to striker Giuliano Simeone who somehow headed well over from metres out in an evenly contested first half.
After 11 minutes of stoppage time in Bordeaux, fighting broke out on the final whistle, with some French players sprinting down the tunnel before re-emerging for a lap of honour.
France will play Egypt in the semi-finals as it chases a second Olympic title, the last won in 1984, the year it also won the European Championship.
Egypt equalised in the 88th minute through Ibrahim Adel and then defeated Paraguay after a 1-1 draw in Marseille.
The other semi-final pits European champions Spain against Morocco.
Barcelona midfielder Fermin Lopez scored a double as Spain defeated Japan 3-0 in Lyon, while Morocco humbled the USA 4-0 in Paris.
#France #edges #Argentina #fiery #Olympic #soccer #showdown