France finds way after own goal

France recovered from a terrible own goal to beat Norway 2-1 on Wednesday in Nice as the host nation remained undefeated at the Women’s World Cup.

Eugenie Le Sommer scored the winner from the penalty spot in the 72nd minute after video review determined Ingrid Syrstad Engen had fouled Marion Torrent in the area.

Valerie Gauvin, benched in France’s opening 4-0 win over South Korea, broke the deadlock after halftime, but Norway tied when Wendie Renard turned a cross into her own net.

Renard, considered one of the best defenders in the world, appeared to be in tears as she raised her face to the sky in anguish.

“I knew it was hard for her,” Le Sommer said. “I know Wendie well, and I know how much she can give us. She came up to me completely naturally and thanked me and I just said ‘No.’”

“In the first match she scored two goals. What’s most important is the group. I’m happy also for her that her mistake was rectified.”

France moved three points ahead of Norway, the 1995 champion, in Group A.

Nigeria was also three points behind France, which is vying to become the first nation to hold both the men’s and women’s World Cup titles at the same time.

Norway, which won the competition in 1995, is playing without Ada Hegerberg. The 2018 FIFA Ballon d’Or winner stepped down from the national team because of what she says are differences in the way the federation treats the men’s and women’s teams.

Nigeria 2, South Korea 0: Asisat Oshoala became the second Nigerian player to score in two different Cups with a 75th-minute goal.

Nigeria took a 1-0 lead in the 29th minute in Grenoble when South Korea’s Kim Do-yeon netted an own goal. Nigeria is third in Group A.

Germany 1, Spain 0: Sara Dabritz scored the lone goal in the 42nd minute to lead No. 2-ranked Germany to the win in Valenciennes.

It was the second straight 1-0 win in Group B for leader Germany, which always has reached at least the Cup quarterfinals and won titles in 2003 and ’07.