Eugenie Le Sommer yesterday scored twice as France eased to a 4-0 win over Morocco at the FIFA Women’s World Cup and set up a quarter-final with cohosts Australia, while Colombia pipped Jamaica to ensure a showdown against England.
Morocco had upset the odds to qualify for the last 16 at the expense of Germany in their debut appearance at the tournament, but they never managed to lay a glove on Herve Renard’s French side in Adelaide.
Kadidiatou Diani opened the scoring on the quarter-hour mark and it was 3-0 just after the midway point in the first half, as Kenza Dali and Le Sommer added further goals.
Photo: AFP
Veteran striker Le Sommer, who is France’s all-time top scorer, netted again 20 minutes from time before a crowd of 13,557 as Les Bleues advanced to the last eight with a minimum of fuss.
They are on Saturday to play Australia in Brisbane, with the winners going on to play either England or Colombia in the semi-finals.
While France are desperate to win a first major women’s international title, Morocco came into the game with the pressure off, their World Cup already a huge success.
In Melbourne, Nelson Abadia said that his Colombia team were “playing for all the Americas” after a 1-0 win over Jamaica.
Colombia failed to qualify for the 2019 World Cup, but topped their group in Australia — stunning Germany along the way — and are now into the last eight for the first time.
In front of a raucous crowd, the 25th-ranked South Americans ground down a resolute and physical Jamaica side who had not conceded a goal all tournament.
Colombia’s intense, attacking ethos under Abadia finally paid dividends in the 51st minute when captain Catalina Usme got the breakthrough with a composed finish inside the box to unlock a previously impenetrable defense.
It set a cagey game alight and sent the pumping pro-Colombian crowd into deafening delirium.
Colombia play England in Sydney on Saturday.
With all other teams from North and South America now out, Abadia added said that “there is immense pride.”
“Home pride and a regional pride because we know we are worthy representatives of not just Colombia, but South America,” he said. “Now we are playing for all of the Americas because our national team is representing the whole continent.”
Having crashed out of the 2019 tournament with three heavy defeats, 43rd-ranked Jamaica, like Colombia, came to Australia with few expecting them to get this far.
Despite defeat they can leave with their heads held high after a historic first World Cup victory — a 1-0 win over Panama — and goalless draws against France and Brazil.
Jamaica’s run to the last 16 came against a backdrop of rows with their federation over a lack of support and resources. The team had also complained about lack of warm-up games.
“I give credit to Colombia, they were better than us tonight,” Jamaica coach Lorne Donaldson said. “But coming in [to the tournament] with no games I feel very happy for the players that they could perform at this level.”
“They gave everything tonight. They should be proud of themselves and I’m proud of them,” he said.
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