In their opening match of the women’s Olympic football competition on July 25, reigning Ballon d’Or Aitana Bonmati scored one goal and assisted in setting up another as World Cup holders Spain overcame an opening to defeat Japan 2-1.
Spain is making its Olympic women’s football debut at the Paris Games, although they are strong favorites for gold after winning the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand in 2023.
Match Highlights
They went down against Japan in Group C at Nantes, western France, following Aoba Fujino’s early free kick, but Bonmati quickly equalized before Mariona Caldentey scored the winner in the 74th minute.
With 12 teams divided into three groups of four, there is room for mistakes because the two best third-placed teams will proceed to the quarter-finals.
That will bring some consolation to Japan, who won the silver medal in London 2012.
Team Line-Ups
Spain’s starting XI features seven players from the 2023 World Cup final victory against England in Sydney, as well as Alexia Putellas, a two-time Ballon d’Or winner.
The Japanese team had Hinata Miyazawa, the World Cup’s top scorer, but it was Fujino who opened the scoring in the 13th minute with a stunning dead-ball drive that proved too strong for goalkeeper Cata Coll.
Spain, on the other hand, controlled possession and tied the game midway through the first half when Bonmati scored after rounding the goalie.
Caldentey moved in from the left and exchanged passes with Bonmati before scoring.
Other Group C Matches
Brazil, which has won two silver medals, defeated Nigeria 1-0 in Bordeaux.
Marta, a former global player of the year who is competing in her sixth Olympics at the age of 38, had an attempt disallowed for offside before assisting Gabi Nunes for the sole goal late in the first half.
Canada Shrug Off Spying Scandal
The United States, four-time gold medalists, will face Zambia later in Group B, after Germany defeated Australia 3-0 in Marseille.
Germany, who won gold in 2016, took the lead when Marina Hegering soared at the back post to head in a Giulia Gwinn corner midway through the first half.
On 64 minutes, Lea Schueller scored the second goal with another header from a corner, and Jule Brand added a third shortly after on a dismal night for Australia, who are without injured captain Sam Kerr.
Meanwhile, Canada, the defending Olympic champions, overcame a spying controversy to defeat New Zealand 2-1 in Saint-Etienne.
Canada vs. New Zealand
Mackenzie Barry took New Zealand the lead in front of an embarrassingly small crowd at the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, the same location where Argentina’s men’s game against Morocco was disrupted by mob disturbance on July 24.
Cloe Lacasse of Arsenal leveled in first-half stoppage time for Canada, which defeated Sweden on penalties in the final in Tokyo three years ago.
Evelyne Viens then grabbed onto a long ball forward and scored 11 minutes from time.
Spying Scandal Details
An assistant coach and an analyst were sent home from the Olympics on the day of the game, overshadowing Canada’s preparations.
Joey Lombardi, 43, received a suspended eight-month prison term for flying a drone over a New Zealand training session in Saint-Etienne this week.
On July 24, Lombardi stood in court and pled guilty. Lombardi reported to the assistant coach, Jasmine Mander.
Bev Priestman, the head coach, apologised and chose not to participate in the game against New Zealand because she believed it was inappropriate.
“As Canadians, we do not share these ideals. “We are not cheats,” added defender Vanessa Gilles, who described the event as “humiliation.”
Canada and New Zealand are in Group A with hosts France and Colombia, who are competing later in Lyon.
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