MARSEILLE, France – There were no regrets from the United States men’s Olympic soccer team after their 3-0 tournament opener loss to host nation France.
For a 23-and-under team, with the exception of three players (according to Olympic rules), the score does not accurately reflect the result and margin.
The Americans, along with French manager Thierry Henry, really believed it after the game – which marked the first Olympic appearance for the USMNT since 2008.
The goal now?
“We get out of the group and see (France) in the final,” said striker Djordje Mihajlovic.
The toughest test was the first, the entire competition was still ahead of the USMNT
Two teams will advance from Group A and the Americans apparently plan to be one of them. Wins against New Zealand and Guinea would go a long way towards achieving that goal.
“France are definitely one of the favorites in this competition and the way we held our own today was, I think, too tough of us,” said forward Kevin Paredes.
Defenseman Walker Zimmerman, the only American with senior World Cup experience, said turning the page is necessary in a tournament that has teams in action every three days.
“You have no choice,” he said.
Henry, who patted the American players on the back in the mixed zone after the match, said the U.S. surprised him with their high-tempo tactics.
“It was a game of chase,” he said.
Substitute Griffin Yow was a goal behind in stoppage time when the offside flag went up.
“I have full confidence in this group to win these next two games and move on … I have no worries or doubts,” Paredes said.
The USA will play New Zealand on Saturday.
The USMNT outlasted France’s big names
For 60 minutes, the game remained scoreless, with both teams seeing chances but nothing materializing – until Alexandre Lacazette found the back of the net.
The former Arsenal striker, the oldest player on the pitch, took an extra touch on the right that was seen by USA goalkeeper Patrick Schulte. The problem was that he then lost Lacazette behind a defender and by the time he tracked down the ball, it had been hit at the far post.
The U.S. almost took the lead before that run when a blast from Mihajlovic bounced off the crossbar. Less than two minutes later, Lacazette and his teammates were celebrating.
“That’s football,” Schulte said. “You get a chance at one end, a goal that looks good all the way, it rattles off the crossbar and they come down the other end and score. I think that’s just kind of living and playing.”
The Americans nearly equalized on two headed chances, but instead saw France secure an insurance goal when Michael Olise also beat Schulte at the far post from distance with a curling shot.
“We created, but (we were) clinical,” USMNT head coach Marko Mitrovic said.
The USMNT’s transition defense needs to improve
The biggest reason for France’s first two goals can be attributed to the team’s transition defense.
Going forward, Zimmerman said, defenders will have to push harder if they attack so close to the box.
“That’s the frustrating part, feeling like we were in it, we had moments of control, we had moments of opportunity,” Zimmerman said. “And we didn’t take advantage of it. And they did.”
Zimmerman added that the U.S. needs to strengthen its set-up defense, which led to France’s third goal, a header by Loic Budd.
“We’re definitely going to see something and we’re definitely going to want it back,” Schulte said.
“La Marseillaise” in Marseille
Americans experienced “La Marseillaise” firsthand in the city where it first emerged as a national anthem in the late 1700s.
A mass of red, white and blue – not the American kind, although the US was not unrepresented in the near sellout crowd of 67,000 – closed the notes and set the tone for an emotional 90 minutes.
Playing with the host team during an international tournament is not a common opportunity, especially in a soccer-mad country like France, Zimmerman said.
“It was an amazing atmosphere, amazing crowd,” he said.
He added: “This will be difficult to repeat, especially in the next games.”
The USMNT was ready for France’s physicality
Referee Yael Falcon was kept busy throughout the game, blowing France’s penalty 16 times and the USA’s 10.
France applied a lot of pressure in the first half as the Americans tried to advance the ball from the defensive third. Many times, the US players were wound up on the ground.
Mihajlovic said this type of match was expected.
“You have to be physical in this kind of environment,” Mihailovic said.
Mitrovic called France “very physical” and “great athletes”.
“It’s not easy to play against them,” he said.
As always, there is a silver lining.
“I think we caused them a lot of problems,” Mitrovic said.
