Paris Olympics 2024: France dominates USA in second half for 3-0 win in Olympics opener

That's it. No goal for USA. France opens Olympic play with a dominant 3-0 showing at home to take early control of Group A. USA has significant work to do to get out of group play with upcoming games against New Zealand (July 27) and Guinea (July 30).

USA has eight minutes of stoppage time to get on the board and limit the aggregate damage in group play.

France is pouring it on. A header from Loïc Badé on a corner kick makes it a 3-0 lead for the host team over USA in the 85th minute. The party is on in Marseille.

Ten minutes remain in regulation, and Team USA's in a desperate spot, down 2-0 against a French team playing its Olympic opener at home.

The floodgates have opened. Michael Olise makes it a 2-0 lead for France with a left-footed strike from the top of the box in the 69th minute. The French broadcast and home fans are ecstatic.

France is on the board to the delight of the Marseille crowd. Alexandre Lacazette snuck a shot from outside the right side of the box past Patrick Schulte to the left corner for a 1-0 France lead in the 61st minute.

Djordje Mihailovic with a close call for USA. Hits the cross bar on a strike from outside the box. Inches away from a 1-0 USA win.

Ten minutes into the second half, and we're no closer to settling this than at the opening whistle. Three total shots on goal (USA 2, France 1) and little action in a 0-0 game.

The U.S. attacks first with a soft header from Nathan Harriel on a free kick. Easy save for Guillaume Restes. Still 0-0.

The second half is underway, tied at 0-0. No lineup changes for either team.

Players are making their way back to the field for the second half. Can USA pull off the upset of the gold-medal favorite, or will France get the win for the home crowd in the first day of Olympic competition

This is the first of three group-stage games for each team. USA will next play New Zealand on July 27 then Guinea on July 30. Two teams from each group will advance to the quarterfinal round on Aug. 2.

France is controlling the ball with a better than 60-40 edge in time of possession and has seven total shots to three for USA.

And we're at halftime in a scoreless tie between France and USA. A slow start gave way to pressure from both sides late in the half, but each team has managed just one shot on goal.

Jean-Philippe Mateta just missed wide right for France from outside the box in the 45th minute. France continues to keep pressure on the U.S. but has managed just a single shot on goal.

Kevin Paredes picked up the first U.S. yellow card with a foul in the 37th minute.

USA counters with a shot on goal in transition. Paxten Aaronson was on target with a right-footer from inside the box in the 37th minute, forcing a foot save from Guillaume Restes. The action is picking up after a slow start.

Manu Koné got a shot on goal for France in the 35th minute, but it didn't have a chance. Patrick Schulte easily made the save on the right-footer without much on it.

A foul on France's Kiliann Sildillia drew a yellow card.

Most of the players for both teams — and all men's soccer teams in these Olympics — are 23 or younger. Teams are permitted only three players older than 23 in Olympic play. These are not full-strength rosters like you'd see in World Cup play.

It's been a physical game, two fouls so far on each team.

15 minutes in, France is still dominating the ball with possession for roughly 2/3 of the game clock. USA has the only shot attempt so far, but it didn't land on goal.

ICYMI, Kylian Mbappé is not playing for France in these Olympics, thanks in part to an Olympic rule that doesn't require players' professional teams to release them to play in the Games.

France is controlling the time of possession in the first eight minutes. So far, no shots on goal for either team.

The pregame U.S. national anthem:

And we're underway. USA soccer faces a stiff test in its Olympics opener against France in front of raucous home Marseille crowd.

The home crowd is enthusiastically singing along with the French national anthem.

Players are taking the field, and the anthems are almost underway.

USA's Miles Robinson wished the MLS All-Stars good luck from France.

Kylian Mbappé really wanted to play at the Paris Olympics. Lionel Messi reportedly did too. But neither is here at the Games, because they, like most men’s soccer stars, are victims of an age-old power struggle domineered by the sport’s global governing body, FIFA.

The struggle is the reason organizers impose two key restrictions on each men’s Olympic roster:

1. All but three players must be 23 years old or younger.

2. No matter the player’s age, his professional club isn’t required to grant him permission to play at the tournament.

The second rule spoiled Mbappé’s dream. Not even French President Emmanuel Macron could salvage it. “I’ve always said that the Games in Paris are special, and I wanted to be there,” Mbappé, a native Parisian, said in March. But Real Madrid refused to release him. And, well, “it’s our employer,” French teammate Aurélien Tchouaméni explained. “If Real Madrid puts a veto, there’s not much to say.”

Read the full story here.