Final Score: France 1-2 Canada
Goalscorers: Katoto 42′; Fleming 58′, Gilles 90+12′
Paris 2024 Olympic Games — Group Stage Match #2
The Canadian women’s national team picked up an emotional victory at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games on Sunday, beating the hosts France 2-1 on a 102nd-minute goal from Vanessa Gilles to keep their slim chances of making it to the knockout rounds of the competition alive.
Both sides came out flying for such a pivotal match, and Canada charged up the pitch and nearly created a scoring opportunity just 30 seconds in.
The first shot on target came from France’s Sandie Toletti, whose attempt in the sixth minute from distance was caught by Kailen Sheridan. The hosts knocked on the door again six minutes later, with defenders Wendie Renard and Élisa De Almeida getting shots off from close range, but both missed the target. Canada’s first two shots came in the 28th minute as Jessie Fleming had a shot from distance blocked, before Nichelle Prince sent a mishit shot far wide of the target.
With time running out in the first half, a moment of quality from Marie-Antoinette Katoto fired the hosts into the lead. After cutting to her right to open up a bit of space for herself, Katoto unleashed a shot into the bottom left corner of the net, igniting the crowd in Saint-Étienne.
Soccer féminin ⚽ : la France 🇫🇷 ouvre la marque contre le Canada 🇨🇦. C’est 1-0.@CanadaSoccerFR #Paris2024 #rcsports #jeuxolympiques #soccer pic.twitter.com/0LSdktbKgI
— Radio-Canada Sports (@RC_Sports) July 28, 2024
Simi Awujo tested Pauline Peyraud-Magnin a few minutes into the second half as Canada started to pick up some momentum in search of an important goal, but her shot with the outside of her foot didn’t have enough power and she was able to make the save.
Canada finally found the back of the net just before the hour mark, tying the game in the 58th minute. Peyraud-Magnin came out of her net to try and claim a cross from Ashley Lawrence but collided with one of her teammates and wasn’t able to claim the ball. The ball fell to Jessie Fleming, who calmly put it into the empty net to tie the match at 1-1.
The French goalkeeper suffered an eye injury on the play and was forced out of the match after spending a few minutes on the ground getting treatment, replaced by Constance Picaud.
Soccer féminin ⚽ : Jessie Fleming 🇨🇦 égalise la marque face à la France 🇫🇷. C’est 1-1.@_jessiefleming @CanadaSoccerFR #Paris2024 #rcsports #jeuxolympiques #soccer pic.twitter.com/ef8ehRRvAc
— Radio-Canada Sports (@RC_Sports) July 28, 2024
After scoring, Canada continued to have a lot of the momentum, but were struggling to create high-quality scoring opportunities to find the crucial second goal.
Griedge Mbock Bathy had a chance to win the match for France in the first moments of stoppage time, but couldn’t direct her header on target from six yards out. There were 13 minutes added on at the end of the match following the injury to Peyraud-Magnin and a handful of other stoppages, giving both sides plenty of time to find a winner. Canada were desperately looking for a goal, knowing that anything but a win would end their chances of advancing to the knockout rounds after a six-point deduction following ‘Dronegate’.
Evelyne Viens came close six minutes into added time, trying to pick out the bottom right corner of the French net after receiving a long pass forward from Jade Rose, but sent her shot wide of the target. Stoppage time was end-to-end as both sides battled hard to find the winner.
With just moments left in the match, Vanessa Gilles — who plays her club football in France — became Canada’s hero. After a shot from Jordyn Huitema was saved by Picaud, the ball fell to the feet of Gilles, who fired a shot off the post and into the bottom left corner of the net, winning the match and completing an improbable comeback.
Gilles and the rest of the Canadian delegation were understandably fired up after the goal, and postgame celebrations were emotional as everyone on the bench rushed the field. After a week that has been an absolute rollercoaster off the pitch, the team could be forgiven for being distracted and picking up a negative result, but they have used it as motivation and have two huge victories to show for it.
Soccer féminin ⚽ : @VanessaGilles permet au Canada 🇨🇦 de prendre les devants face à la France 🇫🇷. C’est 2-1.@CanadaSoccerFR #Paris2024 #rcsports #jeuxolympiques #soccer pic.twitter.com/s7sqBJo6Pt
— Radio-Canada Sports (@RC_Sports) July 28, 2024
Remarkably, with Sunday’s incredible victory, Canada can still advance from, or even win, Group A despite being on zero points after two matches. With a win against Colombia, Canada is guaranteed at least second place in the group and a spot in the quarterfinals. If they win and New Zealand beats France, Canada will win the group against all odds.
Canada wrap up their group stage against Colombia on Wednesday, at Stade de Nice. France take on New Zealand at the same time over at Stade de Lyon. If Canada manage to advance, they’d play a quarterfinal next Saturday, August 3.
Box Score
Lineups
France: Peyraud-Magnin (Picaud 63′); de Almeida, Mbock Bathy, Renard (Lakrar 72′) Bacha; Dali, Toletti, Geyoro; D. Cascarino (Karchaoui 63′), Katoto, Diani (Henry 82′)
Canada: Sheridan; Lawrence, Rose, Gilles, Buchanan, Carle (Beckie 68′); Quinn (Viens 67′), Fleming, Awujo (Grosso 90′); Prince (Leon 46′), Huitema
Goals
42′ — Marie-Antoinette Katoto (France)
58′ — Jessie Fleming (Canada)
90+12′ — Vanessa Gilles (Canada)
Discipline
45+2′ — Yellow: Ashley Lawrence (Canada)
76′ — Yellow: Sandie Toletti (France)
CanPL.ca Player of the Match
Vanessa Gilles, Canada
Canadian centre-back Vanessa Gilles put up a strong defensive performance for Canada against second-ranked France, but the moment everyone will remember from Sunday’s match is her 102nd-minute winner to give Canada a fighting chance of making it to the knockout rounds to defend their Olympic crown.
