Two-faced Blues win painfully against Colombia in their opening match

Despite a 3-0 advantage at half-time, the French team gave itself a big scare in its first match of the Olympic tournament in Lyon on Thursday.

A fanfare start, then panic. The French team won against Colombia for its first match in the Olympic tournament (3-2), Thursday, July 25, at the Stade de Lyon. But what will be remembered most is the two-act scenario of this first match. At the end of one of the best first periods of the Hervé Renard era, punctuated by a double from Marie-Antoinette Katoto (6th, 42nd) and a goal from Kenza Dali (16th), it was hard to imagine what could happen to the French women at home.

And yet, they lost all serenity when Pauline Peyraud-Magnin conceded a penalty after the break, converted by Catalina Usme (53rd). Manuela Pavi then reduced the score to 3-2 once again (64th), forcing the haggard Blues to curl up. They finally won in pain, helped by the red card distributed to Mayra Ramírez (86th). To support the theory of an accident linked to relaxation, the French players will have to do better over time against Canada on Sunday in Saint-Etienne. Especially since the Olympic champions won against New Zealand in the afternoon (2-1), despite their drone spying affair.