Photo Courtesy of Philadelphia Union
Unsurprisingly, the United States men’s Olympic soccer team fell yesterday to France in Marseille 3-0.
For the first hour the Americans executed a well-designed game plan that frustrated the host country’s players and quieted their fans.
But in the 61st minute the French captain, 33-year-old striker Alexandre Lacazette, rifled a worm burner from the right side of the D to the far post past goalkeeper Patrick Schulte and the Americans had to throw their measured caution to the winds. A second French goal followed in the 69th, almost the same shot from the same place by Michael Olise who had assisted Lacazette’s opener. And in the 85th minute, defender Loic Bade thumped home a header from a Joris Chotard corner kick.
Observations
France’s first and third goals were scored by two of its three overage players.
Olympic sides are U23 teams with three overage players mixed in. Since the Olympics are not a FIFA sponsored event, clubs are not required by FIFA to release any of their players for duty. Clubs must agree to the absences voluntarily and not all do so.
Quality matters. France’s overage trio, two strikers and a defender, come from three of the top five club leagues in the world, France’s Ligue 1, Spain’s La Liga, and England’s Premier League. They produced goals one and three. The three Americans, two center backs and an attacking mid, all came from MLS. To the good they produced a crossbar strike, but to the bad they allowed the corner kick marking separation that enabled the well-thumped header.
Focus on Philly
Here is the basic data for Philadelphia’s participants in the US’s 4-2-3-1
| Nathan Harriel | Jack McGlynn | Paxton Aaronson | |
| Pos | RB | AM | LM |
| Start | yes | no | yes |
| Mins | 90 | 14 | 76 |
| Club | Union | Union | FC Utrecht |
Overage Colorado Rapids designated player Djordje MIhailovic was brought into the side to start ahead of McGlynn. That tempers expectations for McGlynn’s future sale.
US lineup
Gameday roster; USA @ France, We, 24-Jul-24
| Starters (4-2-3-1) (*overage players) | ||
| GK | Patrick Schulte | Columbus Crew |
| LB | John Tolkin | NY Red Bull |
| LCB | *Walker Zimmerman | Nashville SC |
| RCB | *Miles Robinson | FC Cincinnati |
| RB | Nathan Harriel | Philadelphia Union |
| CM | Tanner Tessmann | Venezia |
| CM | Gianluco Busio | Venezia |
| RM | Kevin Paredes | Wolfsburg |
| LM | Paxton Aaronson | FC Utrecht |
| AM | *Djordje Mihailovic | Colorado Rapids |
| S | Duncan McGuire | Orlando City |
| Substitutes (*unused) | ||
| GK | *Gaga Slonina | Chelsea |
| OB | Caleb Wiley | Chelsea (recent) |
| CB | Max Dietz | Greuther Furth |
| M | *Benjamin Cremaschi | Inter MIami |
| M | Jack McGlynn | Philadelphia Union |
| F | Taylor Booth | FC Utrecht |
| F | Griffin Yow | KVC Westerloo |
The first half gave me a bit of promise that they could get a result. The US definitely had some good chances that they should have capitalized on, but as you state, quality matters. France using the overage spots on two attackers gives them that experience and quality closer to goal.
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Thought both Harriel and McGlynn (when subbed on) were two of the US’s better players on the field. A shame McGlynn didn’t get the start, because for me, it’s a game where his passing ability would have unlocked a lot more for the US in transition. Didn’t think Busio did enough going forward to warrant him starting. But, it’s France, and it was always going to be a challenge.