France fix Australia showdown in quarter-final, Colombia to meet England

Adelaide, Aug. 9: Eugenie Le Sommer scored twice as France eased to a 4-0 win over Morocco at the Women’s World Cup on Tuesday and set up a quarter-final with co-hosts Australia.

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.

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 will now play Australia in Brisbane on Saturday, with the winners of that going on to play either England or Colombia in the semi-finals.

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

France were knocked out in the quarter-finals as hosts in 2019, losing to eventual winners the United States. 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.

While France are desperate to win a first major women’s international title, Morocco came into this game with the pressure off, their World Cup already a huge success.

Morocco coach Reynald Pedros said he was proud of his team even in defeat, after they defied the odds to get to this stage. “I am not disappointed because we were in the last 16 of the World Cup for the first time and we know very well that the further on you go, the harder it gets,” said the former French international midfielder.

Colombia edge Jamaica

Catalina Usme scored the only goal as Colombia kept their Women’s World Cup charge on track Tuesday by beating Jamaica 1-0 to secure a maiden quarter-final against European champions England.

The South Americans failed to qualify for the 2019 tournament, but have taken huge strides since, topping their group in Australia and stunning world number two Germany along the way.

The 25th-ranked Colombians carried the form into a sold-out Melbourne Rectangular Stadium, grinding down a resolute and physical Jamaica side who had not conceded a goal all tournament.

Colombia’s intense, attacking ethos under coach Nelson Abadia finally paid dividends in the 51st minute when the dangerous Usme got the breakthrough with a composed finish inside the box to unlock a previously impenetrable defence.

It set a cagey game alight and sent the pumping pro-Colombian crowd into deafening delirium, with the Reggae Girlz unable to find a way back.

Colombia will now play England in Sydney on Saturday for a place in the semi-finals after the Lionesses came through a gripping penalty shootout against Nigeria.

Four years after crashing out of the 2019 tournament with three heavy defeats, 43rd-ranked Jamaica, like Colombia, also came to Australia with low expectations. (AFP)