Sports
Team USA Faces Tough Loss Against France in Olympic Opener
The U.S. Olympic Men’s Soccer Team returned to the Olympic stage after 16 years, but it wasn’t the kind of comeback they were hoping for. In their opening match against host nation France, played on July 24, 2024, at the Stade de Marseille, the Americans fell short with a 3-0 loss.
In the early moments of the match, France took control, dominating possession and outshooting the Americans 8-3 during the first half. Despite facing a physical French team, which committed seven fouls, the U.S. managed to hold them to a 0-0 tie at halftime.
The U.S. squad, coached by Marko Mitrovic and featuring many players from Major League Soccer, was brave but struggled to find their rhythm. The unique Olympic roster rules allowed for three overage players, including Walker Zimmerman, who provided experience in a young team.
As the second half kicked off, both teams exchanged enthusiastic plays, pushing deep into each other’s halves. The crowd, filled with home supporters, created an electric atmosphere as they cheered for a French victory following the team’s disappointing 13th place finish at the Tokyo Olympics.
A turning point came for the U.S. in the 59th minute when Djordje Mihailovic unleashed a powerful shot that struck the crossbar, just missing an opportunity to put the Americans ahead. However, the excitement was short-lived as France quickly answered back two minutes later.
French captain Alexandre Lacazette took matters into his own hands, scoring a stunning long-range shot that slipped past the U.S. goalkeeper Patrick Schulte. This opened the scoring for France and sent the crowd into a frenzy.
Things only got worse for the Americans as Lacazette followed up his goal with an assist, setting up Michael Olise for the second goal in the 69th minute. The U.S. was struggling to regain control, and the French capitalized on their chances.
Finally, France sealed the game with a magnificent header from Loïc Badé off a corner kick in the 85th minute. With a final score of 3-0, the U.S. now looks ahead to their next match against New Zealand in Marseille, hoping to bounce back from this challenging opener.
