In the program’s eagerly anticipated return to the competition, the U.S. Olympic Men’s Soccer Team couldn’t have gotten a tougher job. And in their Group A opener on Wednesday in Marseille, the Americans and the highly anticipated French squared off for an hour.
But in front of a sold-out crowd of 67,000 at the Stade Vélodrome, Les Bleus finally broke through and won 3-0, led by experienced captain Alexandre Lacazette. Two days before to the Opening Ceremonies in Paris, the 2024 Olympic Men’s Soccer Tournament got underway, with the United States participating for the first time since 2008.
The last time the American men appeared on the Olympic stage was 5,824 days ago. And in spite of the circumstances and the opponent’s standing, they were by no means intimidated on Wednesday.
The United States played strong defense and had two near-misses for the lead. However, just after the hour, Lacazette, who was the oldest player on the field at 33 (men’s Olympic teams are allowed to have three players older than 23), broke the stalemate.
Within ten minutes, he fed fellow countryman Michael Olise for France’s crucial second. Wednesday’s event started off quietly, which suited the U.S. The Americans stayed fast and the noise inside the Vélodrome subsided as France passed and investigated. Les Bleus dominated possession of the ball in the first half, but they hardly presented a threat and didn’t make Patrick Schulte, the American goalie, save anything until the 35th minute.
Wednesday’s event started off quietly, which suited the U.S. The Americans stayed fast and the noise inside the Vélodrome subsided as France passed and investigated. Les Bleus dominated possession of the ball in the first half, but they hardly presented a threat and didn’t make Patrick Schulte, the American goalie, save anything until the 35th minute.
Two of the three players overage for the USA, center backs Miles Robinson and Walker Zimmerman, were particularly strong. Little was created by France’s 13 total crosses and five corner kicks in the first half. American midfielders Tanner Tessman and Gianluca Busio, who are teammates at the recently promoted Serie A team Venezia, did a good job of containing the French playmaker Olise and slowing down the opposition’s attack.
It turned out that American winger Paxten Aaronson had produced the finest opportunity of the first half. With a deft touch past defender Kiliann Sildillia in the 38th minute, he broke free inside the French penalty area. Goalkeeper Guillaume Restes had to kick away a low attempt he took toward the left post.
The third man overage in the lineup, midfielder Djordje Mihailovic, had a long-range attempt that struck the French crossbar, but the visitors were once again on the verge of breaking the deadlock in the 59th minute. The action at last gained momentum, with the game’s veteran player putting the favorites ahead in the 61st minute. The 33-year-old forward for Olympique Lyon and Arsenal, Lacazette, spotted a little opening in midfield and beat Schulte to the left.
Not one to back down, the Americans launched their most prolonged offensive run of the match a few minutes later, almost bringing the score to even. However, Restes made a great save to stop Aaronson’s header in the 63rd minute after Kevin Paredes crossed the ball, and a few seconds later, American left back John Tolkin slammed the left post with his own header after another Paredes cross.
Then, in the 69th, France sealed the victory. Olise, an attacker from London who recently joined Bayern Munich from Crystal Palace, caused the most damage with a curling shot that was positioned just outside the U.S. penalty area. With his header from a corner kick, center back Loïc Badé, who plays club soccer for Sevilla, provided a French exclamation point to make it 3-0 in the 85th minute.
Griffin Yow, an American replacement who netted a goal late in the friendly match between the two sides in March, scored again on Wednesday, but his stoppage time marker was called for offside.
There are sixteen countries competing in four groups of four at the Olympic competition. After a round-robin, the top two finishers in each quartet advance to the quarterfinals. In the other Group A encounter on Wednesday, New Zealand triumphed 2-1 over Guinea. For a pivotal match against New Zealand on Saturday, July 27, 1 p.m. ET on USA Network, Telemundo, and Peacock, the USA will be back in Marseille.
Author: Quique Lopez
Quique Lopez doesn’t just cover soccer—he deconstructs it with the precision of a veteran and the wit of a storyteller. A former player who sees the pitch as both a tactical chessboard and a cultural stage, Quique balances sharp critiques with a genuine love for the game’s soul. He’s as quick to call out the ego of a superstar as he is to find the hidden beauty in a local derby.