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France destroy Morocco with three goals in eight minutes, to play Matildas

The Matildas’ World Cup quarterfinal opponents fired a chilling warning shot. Australian fans have been urged not to panic.

Andrew McMurtryAndrew McMurtry
@AndrewMcMurtry
7 min read
August 9, 2023 - 12:26AM
Eugenie Le Sommer scored a double for France. Photo by FRANCK FIFE / AFP
Eugenie Le Sommer scored a double for France. Photo by FRANCK FIFE / AFP

The Matildas will take on World No. 5 France for a place in the Women’s World Cup semi-finals after Les Bleus claimed a ruthless 4-0 drubbing over Morocco.

On paper, the clash was always going to be a mismatch with World No. 5 France heavily favoured over the 72nd ranked Morocco.

But as Morocco’s group H rivals found out, the Africans were not to be underestimated.

However, France turned on their A-game, scoring three goals in a brutal eight minute onslaught between the 15th and 23rd minutes, blowing Morocco off the park.

Although Les Bleus would only claim one more goal, via Eugenie Le Sommer in the 70th minute, the damage was already well and truly done, as the intensity of the match dissipated in the second half.

Morocco were improved in the second half but it appeared as though France’s attention had already turned to the Matildas.

France has booked a date with the Australian national team at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane at 5pm AEST on Saturday.

Immediately after fulltime, French coach Herve Renard said he believed the Les Bleus could pull off the win and break Australia’s hearts.

“We fulfilled our objective. You always want a little bit more, but it’s fine,” Renard told broadcaster M6.

“Now we can start thinking about the quarter-final against the host nation.

“We have matched our performance of four years ago, but our objective was to do better than we did in 2011, so we know what we have left to do.”

Asked if his side could beat the Matildas in front of a hostile crowd, he said: “We are capable of doing it but it won’t be easy, albeit not easy for either team.”

A win against Australia will see them equal their best-ever performance at the World Cup, when they got to the last four in 2011.

France were clinical against Morocco. Photo by FRANCK FIFE / AFP
France were clinical against Morocco. Photo by FRANCK FIFE / AFP

Although it was a scary warning from France, Aussie fans are already believing that the Matildas can flip the script on Les Bleus.

Former football journalist Ray Gatt tweeted after full-time: “I honestly believe the Matildas have nothing to fear playing against France on Saturday. They will be a far different proposition than Morocco. They just need to play like the last two games. The home crowd advantage will be massive and we know the French are known to implode!”

In the earlier match, Colombia claimed a 1-0 win over Jamaica to book a date with England at Stadium Australia on Saturday night at 8.30pm, becoming the second South American team to ever make the World Cup quarterfinals.

With AFP

10.33pm — France make it four

The air has been sucked out of this clash as France scored its fourth to all but certainly book a quarterfinal clash with the Matildas in Brisbane on Saturday.

It’s the first time ever France have scored four goals in a knockout clash at a World Cup and sends a timely warning to the Matildas — showing it’s not going to get any easier for the hosts to claim a maiden World Cup title.

9.53pm — Halftime: France 3-0 Morocco

Matildas fans will not be enjoying the France Vs Morocco round of 16 clash.

World No. 5 France has flexed its muscles with an eight minute burst of three goals early in the match, putting the side in the box seat to book a quarterfinal match against the Matildas on Saturday night.

While big names such as the USA, Germany and Brazil are already out of the tournament, France has been strong, taking a draw against Jamaica and wins over Brazil and Panama out of the group stages.

9.21pm — France’s 8 minutes of madness

The Matildas’ last match before the World Cup started was a tense 1-0 win over France and it appears Les Bleus want a rematch.

The World’s No. 5 ranked team has scored three times in the opening 23 minutes and look every bit the world beaters.

After scoring their first goal in the 15th minute through Kadidiatou Diani, Kenza Dali and Eugenie Le Sommer quickly joined the scoresheet after goals in the 20th and 23rd minutes.

Morocco, who made it through the group stages despite a 6-0 loss in the opening match against Germany, were hoping for another miracle after peeling off two wins to earn their path into the round of 16.

The match looked every bit the mismatch it did on the field as Morocco, the lowest ranked team left in the World Cup at 72, were immediately put to the sword.

It was only just halfway through the first half before fans were already calling the match for France.

7.57pm — Colombia win, make history

Colombia have become the second South American side to make the quarterfinals of a World Cup, following Brazil into rare air.

The Colombians claimed a 1-0 win over Jamaica to book a date against England at Sydney’s Stadium Australia on Saturday night at 8.30pm AEST.

Jamaica battled hard throughout and may have been denied by a post after a header seemed to ricochet off.

But Colombia dominated the match for the most part and won the battle of the surprise packets.

In front of a packed Melbourne Rectangular Stadium crowd, it was a goal from captain Catalina Usme in the 51st minute that was the difference.

The win pushes Colombia to its best ever result at a Women’s World Cup and matches the men’s quarterfinal finish at the 2014 Men’s World Cup in Brazil.

They were incredible scenes throughout, as the vocal crowd went berserk for Colombia.

But there were great scenes in Sydney as well, with the Sydney Fan Festival turning out a huge crowd for the game.

Jamaica will no doubt be disappointed to be knocked out but not only was it the furthest they’d ever gone at a World Cup, they conceded just one goal, having held firm for 5 hours and 21 minutes of game time before conceding the goal.

7.10pm — Insane scenes as Melbourne ‘in raptures’

Colombian captain Catalina Usme has broken the deadlock, giving the South Americans an all important lead.

Jamaica have been almost impenetrable this tournament, having kept its rivals scoreless in the group stages of the tournament.

It’s taken 321 minutes for them to be scored on finally as the 51st minute strike finally ended the drought.

A perfectly placed cross to Usme found the Colombian skipper free on the back post and after a first touch, slotted the goal to make it 1-0.

The packed crowd at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium went absolutely berserk.

Commentator Simon Hill said: “It sends the Colombians in the crowd into raptures.”

7pm — Halftime: Colombia and Jamaica 0-all

The score is locked at 0-all at the break but it’s been an entertaining first half.

Colombia are showing how it claimed wins over South Korea and Germany to top Group H with some strong offence.

The Colombians have had seven shots to Jamaica’s two with the South Americans getting the only two attempts on target.

But Jamaica are not going away — one goal may well be enough.

6.10pm — Colombia Vs Jamaica is underway

The opening 10 minutes have been hard fought and physical.

The two surprise packets are chasing an unexpected quarterfinal sport.

Jamaica, ranked 43 in the world, had only played in the 2019 World Cup before their improbable run to the round of 16.

They are also chasing more history, having not conceded a goal in the 2023 edition.

World 25 ranked Colombia missed the 2019 World Cup, but had previously made the round of 16 at the 2015 World Cup

5:30pm — Star breaks silence on butt stomp debacle

Nigeria’s Michelle Alozie has broken her silence after she was stomped by England’s Lauren James in their round of 16 clash on Monday night.

While England came out with a 4-2 win on penalties after a scoreless match, the bizarre moment that saw James stamp on her opponent’s butt, which earned her a red card, was a big talking point of the day.

But it appears the loss hurt more than the incident with Alozie making a lighthearted joke about the bum stamp on social media.

Alozie also tweeted she had “all respect for Lauren James” although admitted it was the right call to sit the 21-year-old down.

Goal.com reported post-match that Alozie said she was all right after the incident.

“I was a little bit surprised by her reaction to the tackle. I don’t think it was really needed,” Alozie was reported as saying.

“I’m fine, my butt is fine from her stepping on it. I was kind of confused initially. I didn’t understand what was going on at first. There’s no hard feelings, it’s just a game.”

Lauren James stamps on Nigeria's Michelle Alozie.
Lauren James stamps on Nigeria's Michelle Alozie.

FIFA is still investigating the incident and there were reports that it may rub James out of the remainder of the tournament.

England coach Sarina Wiegman said James had apologised to Alozie for the incident.

“I’ve spoken to her. I actually said (to her), ‘look, that happens sometimes with human beings,’ that they are in such an intense game and such a high-intensity, emotional game, and in a split second she lost her emotions,” Wiegman said.

“Of course she apologised and she felt really, really bad. Absolutely she doesn’t want to hurt anyone.

“This was a moment, it was a split second and it was later in the game, so players also get a little tired, she’s an inexperienced player on this stage and she’s done really well.

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“I think in a split second she just lost her emotions. Of course she doesn’t want to hurt anyone, she’s the sweetest person I know.

“Things happen like that, you can’t change it any more, it’s a huge lesson to learn but of course it’s not something she’s done on purpose.”

While James will miss England’s quarterfinal against Jamaica or Colombia with an automatic one-match ban for her red card, it’s in FIFA’s hands if her tournament is over.

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Original URL: https://www.news.com.au/sport/football/womens-world-cup-2023-round-of-16-live/news-story/6a687a3b5504aeca88a0713210f9289f