At 3 AM on July 26, in the first round of Group A matches in the Olympic Women’s Football tournament, host nation France will face off against Colombia. France, with the advantage of playing at home, is aiming for a strong start; meanwhile, Colombia is hoping to secure points.
The French women’s team is currently ranked second in the world and, as the host nation, enjoys the benefits of favorable timing, location, and public support. The French squad is brimming with talent, including offensive players like Henry and Bussaglia, all of whom have been selected for the Olympic roster.
The Colombian women’s team also boasts a solid lineup, featuring players such as Casilda, who plays for Real Madrid, and Usme, who has scored 72 goals for the national team, both key figures in the squad.
Given that reigning champions Canada are also in the same group, it is crucial for both France and Colombia to achieve a strong start if they wish to advance from this group.
Neither team participated in the previous Olympics, but at the 2016 Rio Olympics, both France and Colombia were in the same group. France finished second in the group with two wins and one loss, while Colombia was eliminated after finishing at the bottom with one draw and two losses.
It’s worth noting that aside from being in the same group during the 2016 preliminary rounds, France and Colombia were also grouped together during the 2012 preliminary rounds, where Colombia was eliminated after losing all three matches.
France’s recent form has been poor, with a 1-2 loss to England in June. Although they defeated Sweden 2-1 in July, they lost 1-3 to Ireland, resulting in one win and two losses in their last three official matches.
Colombia had won four consecutive friendlies but then lost 1-2 to Ecuador and drew 1-1 with Japan in July, indicating a downturn in form.
In addition to being in the same group at the 2012 and 2016 Olympics, the teams also met at the 2015 World Cup. France won both Olympic meetings but lost at the World Cup. Furthermore, the teams played a friendly match in April of this year, which France won 5-2 after trailing 0-2, achieving an impressive comeback.
In the first round of the group stage, France aims to leverage its home advantage to secure a strong start, while Colombia seeks to gain points vital for advancing.
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