Mexico stun France, Egypt frustrate Spain
Mexico............... 4 France................ 1
TOKYO - Fr a nce’s bi d f or men’s Olympic football glory got off to a nightmare start with a 4- 1 defeat by Mexico yesterday, while Richarlison scored a hat- trick as reigning champions Brazil beat Germany in a sixgoal thriller.
Sylvain Ripoll’s France are looking for a first Olympic medal since winning gold in 1984, but collapsed in the second half at Tokyo Stadium.
“We’re obviously disappointed with the result but also with the balance of our play,” said former Lorient boss Ripoll.
“To compete, we would’ve needed a big performance, but that wasn’t the case.”
Mexico took the lead less than t wo minut e s a f t e r t h e b r e a k through Alexis Vega, before Sebastian Cordova doubled their advantage in the 55th minute.
The 35- year- old captain Andre- Pierre Gignac, whose last game for the French senior team was the Euro 2016 final loss to Portugal, pulled one back from the penalty spot with 21 minutes remaining.
But any thoughts of a comeb a c k wer e q u a s h e d a s Uri e l Antuna and Eduardo Aguirre netted late on for 2012 champions Mexico.
France now face a tough task t o get out of Group A with a toptwo finish, ahead of games against COVID- hit South Africa on Sunday and hosts Japan on July 28.
I vory Coast al s o pi cked up three points in Group D as AC Milan’s Franck Kessie netted the match- clinching goal in a 2- 1 victory over Saudi Arabia.
Spain struggled in Sapporo, as a team featuring six players who
reached the Euro 2020 semifinals dominated possession but created f ew chances i n a 0- 0 draw with Egypt.
The c l os e s t t hey c a me t o a goal was when Real Madrid midfielder Dani Ceballos, who recently spent two seasons on loan at Arsenal, crashed a firsthalf shot against the post.
Spain, winners on home soil in 1992, next take on Australia in three days’ time before their final Group C match with Argentina.
New Zealand made a successful start in Group B as Burnley striker Chris Wood, one of the t hree over- age players i n t he s quad, s ecured a 1- 0 vi ct ory over South Korea in Kashima with his 72nd- minute winner.
It was their first- ever win in Olympic football, having managed just one draw in each of the 2008 and 2012 tournaments.
An own goal s aw Romania edge out Honduras 1- 0 in the group’s other game.