New Zealand have been eliminated from the women’s tournament at the Summer Olympics after losing 2-1 to hosts France in Lyon.
The result meant the Football Ferns lost all three of their group games, finishing at the foot of the table despite the deduction of six points from Canada’s tally as part of the sanctions for their use of drones to spy on training sessions.
Canada beat Colombia 1-0 in the other group game, ensuring they go into the quarter-finals.
New Zealand’s brightest moment came through a spectacular goal from midfielder Kate Taylor who gave her side hope, sending the teams into the interval level at 1-1.
But for the rest of the game, France showed their class, dominating possession and creating 17 goal attempts to New Zealand’s four.
The first chance of the game came in the 15th minute when France winger Sandy Baltimore crossed for striker Grace Geyoro whose shot was well saved by goalkeeper Anna Leat.
Four minutes later, Baltimore got free from marker CJ Bott to chip the ball into the New Zealand area where Marie-Antoinette Katoto headed the ball down.
Leat tried desperately to claw the ball to safety but it rolled over the goalline, sending the crowd wild at Lyon Stadium.
With half time approaching, France almost doubled their lead when Delphine Cascarino’s shot was deflected by Bott onto the New Zealand post.
Almost immediately, New Zealand took advantage of their let-off to draw level.
Bott turned provider, feeding the ball to midfielder Kate Taylor. She let fly from 25 metres, curling the ball just inside the post and eluding the dive of French ‘keeper Pauline Peyraud-Magnin.
It was New Zealand’s only shot in a first half dominated by the French, who had 58% of first half possession.
France took hold of the match four minutes after the restart.
Sakino Karchaqoui raced down the left flank and got in behind the New Zealand defence, crossing for Katoto to turn the ball into the net.
Two minutes later, New Zealand put the French under pressure with back-to-back corners.
Cascarino almost scored her side’s third goal when her near-post header rebounded off the New Zealand post.
Stand-in coach Michael Mayne made five second half substitutions in an effort to rescue the game but despite their hard work, the Ferns couldn’t assert themselves against a French team who were always in control.
Results
Games played on Thursday August 1, 2024 (NZT)
New Zealand 1 (Kate Taylor 43′)
France 2 (Marie-Antoinette 22′, 49′)
Colombia 0
Canada 1 (Vanessa Gilles 61′)
Quarter-finals
Brazil and Colombia went through to the knockout stages with as the two best-performing third placed teams in the group play.
- United States v Japan
- Spain v Colombia
- Canada v Germany
- France v Brazil
This story was first published on August 1, 2024.
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