PARIS — Spain secured the gold medal in the Olympic men's soccer tournament after Sergio Camello scored twice in extra time to earn a dramatic 5-3 win over hosts France in a nail-biting final at Parc des Princes on Friday.
The teams were locked at 3-3 at the end of normal time but Camello scored 10 minutes into the extra period and scored another at the end to earn Spain their first Olympic title since 1992.
United States women’s national team defender Naomi Girma is cementing herself as the top center back in the world during the 2024 Summer Olympics. Her head coach Emma Hayes agrees as the 24-year-old has played every minute of the campaign so far.
Girma has led a stout USWNT defense to the gold medal match only conceding two goals in the process. Throughout the tournament Girma has had different center back pairings due to a Tierna Davidson injury.
Another day, another USMNT head coach candidate.
Pellegrino Matarazzo linked to USMNT head coach position
The U.S. men’s national team is not slowing down their hunt for a new coach and has contacted American and current TSG 1899 Hoffenheim manager Pellegrino Matarazzo about the possibility of taking the United States’ vacant head coach position, according to multiple reports.
The United States women’s national team narrowly surpassed Japan in the Olympic quarterfinals on Saturday with a nervy 1-0 victory with several poor individual performances. USWNT captain Lindsey Horan had one of the worst showings.
The 30-year-old captain had a number of sloppy turnovers that turned into opportunities for Japan, she was far too slow on and off the ball and had a scare or two back on defense.
In the 35th minute she uncharacteristically let Japan’s Mina Tanaka spin away from her in the box to rip a shot that forced Alyssa Naeher into action.
PARIS — France coach Thierry Henry called the behavior of some of his players unacceptable after their 1-0 Olympic quarter-final victory over Argentina in Bordeaux ended in a brawl and a red card for midfielder Enzo Millot.
Hosts France knocked out Argentina on Friday to avenge the country's defeat in the last World Cup final in a bitter rivalry recently fuelled by a video of Argentine players directing chants labelled as racist at French players.
An incredible Trinity Rodman goal vs Japan in extra time of the Olympics quarterfinal saved the United States women’s national team in a poor showing on Saturday.
The USWNT were untouchable in the group stage sweeping Zambia, Germany and Australia while scoring a team record nine goals in the three games.
Saturday was a drastically different performance as head coach Emma Hayes deployed an exhausted side that were off the pace and tremendously struggled to break down Japan’s defense which utilized a brick wall 5-4-1 defense.
United States women’s national team head coach Emma Hayes started the same players in midfield (Lindsey Horan, Rose Lavelle and Sam Coffey) for all three Olympic group stage games. The USWNT midfield will change for the quarterfinals.
Hayes made a risky decision for the group stage finale against Australia and started Coffey plus Trinity Rodman despite the two players already having a yellow card in the tournament. A second yellow would mean they miss the quarterfinals.
Former U.S. men’s national team manager Gregg Berhalter is bound take a break from international soccer and is likely to return to the club scene after six years with the USMNT, with fans speculating where the American coach will end up this summer. According to Fabrizio Romano, it won’t be in Europe.
Fabrizio Romano reveals no European clubs have contacted Gregg Berhalter this summer
Well, let’s not act too surprised.
PARIS — Canada were deducted six points from the Olympic women's soccer tournament and their head coach Bev Priestman banned for a year, global governing body FIFA said on Saturday, following a drone spying scandal that has tainted their gold medal defense.
Priestman, who has coached the team since 2020, and Canadian officials Joseph Lombardi and Jasmine Mander have been banned from any soccer-related activity for one year for "offensive behavior and violation of the principles of fair play", FIFA said.
Canada points deducted in Olympics
PARIS — New information from Soccer Canada showed suspended women's head coach Bev Priestman was likely aware of the drone use that has caused a scandal at the Paris Olympics, Canadian Olympic Committee CEO David Shoemaker said on Friday.
The COC removed head coach Priestman on Thursday after her suspension by Canada Soccer. The decision followed complaints from New Zealand that Canada flew drones over two of their training sessions before the two sides met in their opening Olympic fixture, which Canada won 2-1.