Stunning goals from Alexandre Lacazette and Michael Olise helped France to a 3-0 victory over the US in the Olympic men’s soccer tournament on Wednesday.
Loïc Badé added the third with a late header to seal a win that had looked in doubt until former Arsenal striker Lacazette struck with a long range effort in the 61st minute in Marseille.
The host nation had to ride its luck against a US team that saw a shot from Đorđe Mihailović hit the cross bar when the game was still goalless. Lacazette’s goal came almost immediately after.
On a wild opening day for Olympic soccer, Morocco beat Argentina 2-1 in a game that was suspended for about two hours because fans invaded the pitch deep into stoppage time. And the Americans looked as if they could produce another upset when repeatedly opening France up.
The US crafted a plenty of chances and worked the ball well in midfield to slice open Thierry Henry’s side. But they never came closer than Mihailović’s effort, and France made the most of its fortune.
Lacazette drove low from about 20 yards past US goalkeeper Patrick Schulte.
Eight minutes later, new Bayern Munich signing Olise curled a shot from distance into the same corner. Badé’s header in the 85th minute effectively put the game away and saw France move to the top of Group A, ahead of New Zealand, who beat Guinea 2-1.
The US came into the tournament with high expectations, naming an experienced squad with the hopes of landing a medal and handing minutes for a batch of young competing for a spot on the 2026 World Cup roster. Head coach Marko Mitrović called-up an unusually experienced squad for the Paris Games, where competing nations are limited to picking rosters made up predominantly of under-23 players, with just three overage exceptions allowed.
The US roster features players with 114 combined senior caps – and Mitrović used two of his overage spots on centre-backs, Walker Zimmerman and Miles Robinson, to try to give a roster filled with young, attacking options a solid base at the back. The plan showed promise in the opening round, but Mitrović’s side were eventually undone by France’s quality on the ball.
France will next face Guinea on 27 July, with the US taking on New Zealand on the same day.
