Embattled Canada rolls to women’s football quarters after spy drone scandal, coach ban

PARIS, France – Defending women’s Olympic football champion Canada reached the quarterfinals on Wednesday, July 31, thanks to a 1-0 win over Colombia in Nice, hours after they had an appeal against their six-point deduction dismissed.

Colombia also booked their spot in the knockouts on Wednesday, along with France, Germany, Japan and Brazil, but Australia missed out.

Wednesday’s results set up some tantalizing last-eight ties with Canada taking on Germany, the US playing Japan, Spain facing Colombia and France playing Brazil, with the quarterfinals being held on Saturday, August 3.

Canada was docked points following a drone spying scandal that led to the suspension of coach Bev Priestman and other staff members and their appeal against the FIFA sanction was dismissed by the Court of Arbitration for Sport earlier in the day.

With the top two teams in each of the three groups advancing, along with two best third-placed sides, Canada now led by assistant coach Andy Spence, needed maximum points against Colombia to progress from Group A.

After wins against New Zealand and hosts France, Vanessa Gilles’ 61st-minute goal against Colombia following a set piece was enough to send them into the knockouts after finishing second in the standings with three points.

Despite the defeat, Colombia reached their first-ever Olympic quarterfinal after finishing as one of the best third-placed sides.

France advanced with a 2-1 win over New Zealand in Lyon courtesy of Marie-Antoinette Katoto’s double to finish as Group A winners.

Katoto opened the scoring with a header in the 22nd minute before New Zealand leveled with a fine Kate Taylor volley three minutes before the break.

Katoto, however, netted her second five minutes after the restart to become the tournament’s leading scorer with five goals.

Germany thrashed Zambia 4-1 in St. Etienne with a brace from Lea Schueller and goals from Klara Buehl and Elisa Senss to clinch a spot in the next round with a second place finish in Group B.

Schueller opened the scoring for the 2016 gold medalists 10 minutes in before Bruhl doubled the advantage from long-range two minutes after the break.

Zambia’s Barbra Banda profited from a blunder by the German goalkeeper to net her fourth goal of the tournament, but Schueller made it 3-1 in the 61st before Senss sealed the rout in stoppage-time. – Rappler.com