U.S. Men's Olympic Soccer Team Falls to France in Tough Opening Match

 U.S. Men's Olympic Soccer Team Falls to France in Tough Opening Match

The U.S. Olympic Men’s Soccer Team faced a tough challenge in their return to the tournament, clashing with a strong French team in their Group A opener on July 24, 2024, in Marseille, France. Despite a determined effort, the Americans fell 3-0 to France, led by veteran captain Alexandre Lacazette, in front of a sellout crowd of 67,000 at the Stade Vélodrome.

The 2024 Olympic Men’s Soccer Tournament, which began two days before the Opening Ceremonies in Paris, marks the USA's first appearance since 2008. Though the Americans hadn't played on this stage for 5,824 days, they showed resilience and determination against a highly regarded French side.

The U.S. team defended stoutly for the first hour, even creating a couple of scoring chances that could have changed the game's momentum. However, Lacazette, at 33 years old the oldest player on the pitch, broke the deadlock just after the hour mark. He then assisted Michael Olise for France’s second goal, which came within ten minutes of the first.

Early on, the Americans managed to stifle the French attack, causing the home crowd to grow quiet. Although France dominated possession in the first half, they rarely threatened the U.S. goal. U.S. goalkeeper Patrick Schulte was called into action only in the 35th minute. The center-back duo of Miles Robinson and Walker Zimmerman, two of the USA’s three overage players, were particularly effective in handling France’s offensive pressure.

The U.S. midfield, featuring Tanner Tessmann and Gianluca Busio, also played a crucial role in slowing down the French attack. Tessmann, the team captain, and Busio, his club teammate at Venezia, worked well together to disrupt the rhythm of French playmaker Michael Olise. U.S. winger Paxten Aaronson nearly scored in the 38th minute, forcing a save from French goalkeeper Guillaume Restes.

In the second half, the Americans continued to press. Midfielder Djordje Mihailovic's long-range effort hit the crossbar in the 59th minute, coming close to giving the U.S. the lead. However, Lacazette scored shortly after, finding space and shooting past Schulte from 25 yards out.

The U.S. team did not back down, responding with their best attacking spell of the match. Aaronson and left-back John Tolkin both had chances to equalize, but were denied by Restes and the post, respectively. France sealed their victory in the 69th minute when Olise curled a shot into the net from just outside the penalty area. Loïc Badé added a third goal in the 85th minute with a header from a corner kick.

The USA thought they had pulled one back in stoppage time through substitute Griffin Yow, but the goal was disallowed for offside.

The Olympic tournament features 16 nations divided into four groups, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the quarterfinals. In the other Group A match, New Zealand defeated Guinea 2-1. The U.S. team will face New Zealand next in a crucial game on July 27 in Marseille.

Despite the loss, the U.S. Olympic Men’s Soccer Team showed promise and determination. Their performance against a strong French team suggests that they can compete at this level, and their upcoming match against New Zealand will be critical for their hopes of advancing in the tournament