In the first round of Group A in the Olympic Men’s Football, with Lacazette and Aurier contributing a goal and an assist each, and Badé scoring one, France secured a 3-0 victory over the United States with only four shots on target. After the game, France U23 head coach Thierry Henry spoke to the media.
Henry said: “We faced a team that was wary of us; they never applied pressure, which made it difficult. It took us some time to realize we needed to be more proactive in our attacking play. Playing against them was complicated as they had experienced players both in defense and midfield. We tried to break down their defense, but it wasn’t easy. The crowd was also very patient, and I’m very grateful for their support. Compared to the match against Japan (1-1), where we had many chances but scored only once, this time we didn’t have many opportunities, yet we managed to score three times.”
French goalscorer, center-back Badé, commented after the game: “During our preparation phase, we hardly faced teams playing a low defensive block, so we were somewhat impatient. They were eager to get off to a good start in the game, and ultimately, the result is what matters. We wanted to perform well so much that we were a bit timid in the first half. The atmosphere was great, the stadium was full, and we are very satisfied with this evening.”