2024 Olympics: Katoto brace vs New Zealand sends France into quarter-finals | OneFootball

In the final round of 2024 Olympics group stage games, France secured their spot in the last eight with a closely fought win over New Zealand. A brace from Marie-Antoinette Katoto was enough to earn the hosts top spot in Group A.

New Zealand’s Olympic dreams came to an end with the defeat, having failed to pick up a single point in the competition.

Starting XIs

New Zealand

Leat; Taylor, Bott, Foster, Riley, Kitching, Stott, Bowen, Hand, Jale, Longo

France

Peyraud-Magnin; Lakrar, de Almeida, Henry, Karchaoui, Geyoro, Cascarino, Katoto, Bacha, Baltimore, Nka

How it went

Katoto opened up the scoring in the 22nd minute. The Paris Saint-Germain forward nodded the ball home from close range to give France the lead.

Wellington Phoenix’s Kate Taylor restored the deadlock shortly before the break. The midfielder unleashed a rocket of a strike from 25 yards out, reigniting New Zealand’s hopes of progression to the knockout stage. However, their notable goal would be the only positive to take from their final group stage clash.

Katoto bagged her brace shortly after play resumed for the second half to guarantee France’s top place finish. The 25-year-old’s second of the evening marked her fifth so far at the Olympics.

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Knockout stage

With the group stage games now concluded, all four quarter-final matches have now been finalised. The USA will get the action underway as they face an in-form Japan. Spain will then take on Colombia in the second quarter-final. The South American side will face the current World Cup winners at the Groupama Stadium in Lyon.

Colombia qualified for the knockout stage as one of the top third-placed sides. Spain finished top of Group C having won all three of their group matches.

Canada will take on Germany at the Stade Orange Velodrome in Marseille. Despite being handed a six-point deduction following their drone scandal, Canada finished second in Group A. Germany endured a difficult group stage, suffering a 4-1 defeat against a dominant American side.

Olympics hosts France will conclude the quarter-finals as they face Brazil. France finished top of Group A, having taken six points from a possible nine from their opening three games. Brazil will be without their captain Marta after the forward was handed a straight red card following a reckless tackle in Brazil’s final group game.

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