France Hand US Men's Soccer Team a Heavy Loss in Olympic Opener

The US men’s soccer team faced a harsh start to their Olympic journey, suffering a 3-0 defeat against host nation France in their opening match of the Paris Games on Wednesday.

The Olympic soccer tournament began two days ahead of the Opening Ceremony, featuring teams mainly composed of under-23 players, with each nation allowed three overage players.

This was the first Olympic appearance for the US men’s team since 2008. They were aware that facing the host nation in their opening match would be challenging. For the first hour, it seemed like they might pull off an upset.

Under the guidance of coach Marko Mitrović, the Americans showed promise in attack and had opportunities to score during the first half while France struggled. However, missed chances led to their downfall as France’s quality eventually prevailed, to the delight of the fans at Stade Vélodrome in Marseille.

After Djordje Mihailović hit the crossbar for the US, France captain Alexandre Lacazette broke the deadlock with a goal in the 61st minute. The US almost equalized soon after, but defender John Tolkin’s header also hit the crossbar.

France extended their lead with a goal from new Bayern Munich star Michael Olise in the 69th minute. Defender Loïc Badé then sealed the victory with a header in the 85th minute, marking a successful start for France.

France’s manager, Thierry Henry, expressed satisfaction with the result, acknowledging the tough nature of the game and the improvement after their first goal.

The US is now at the bottom of Group A and will next face New Zealand on July 27, followed by a match against Guinea on July 30. In other Group A matches, New Zealand defeated Guinea 1-0. Additionally, Spain won 2-1 against Uzbekistan, and Japan delivered a 5-0 thrashing of Paraguay.