By Ivan Yeo
France 5, Mexico 0
With its tournament lives surprisingly hanging in the balance after being upset by Colombia a few days back, France righted the ship in convincing fashion against Mexico on Wednesday in Ottawa. led by Eugenie Le Sommer’s brace, France wrapped up the top spot in Group F with a 5-0 rout of Mexico.
The French started things off just a minute into the match. Elodie Thomis sprinted down the right side of the field, deked out a Mexican defender, took the ball to the endline and crossed inside the penalty are into the six-yard box. Mexico’s Alina Garciamendez initially cut off the cross, but it stayed in the box and Marie-Laure Delie headed the ball past the Mexican defense into the back net to open the scoring.
The goals started coming for France soon after. The French got its second goal in the ninth minute due in large part to Mexico, as France’s Camille Abily sent a corner kick into the box, the ball went off Jennifer Ruiz and into the back net for an own goal and a 2-0 lead for the French. France added its third goal four minutes later, as Abily played Delie into the penalty area, Delie crossed into the six and Le Sommer jumped and touched a ball past keeper Cecilia Santiago into the back net and just like that, France was up 3-0.
The rest of the match was mere window dressing fro France. Le Sommer got her brace in the 36th minute, as she scored off a rebound shot and Amadine Henry scored in the 80th minute to wrap up the afternoon for France.
England 2, Colombia 1.
England also came through with its World Cup hopes hanging in the balance. Goals from Karen Carney and Fara Williams got the Three Lionesses going and while Colombia made things interesting in stoppage time, England still ensured itself a spot in the Round of 16 with a 2-1 win in Montreal.
England got its first chance in the 15th minute. Colombia’s Daniela Montoya played a ball off her hand and England was awarded the free kick. Stephanie Houghton sent the free kick right at goal, Colombian keeper Sandra Sepulveda initially denied the free kick, but could not parry it out of danger completely, England’s Karen Carney came in and fired the ball past Sepulveda at her far post to stake England to the lead.
England got another chance in the 38th minute and madness ensued shortly after. Houghton had a free kick just outside the Colombian penalty area. Houghton sent the sent piece off the wall, the ball stayed in the box with players from both teams fighting for possession. Toni Duggan got the ball and fired a shot on goal, Colombia’s Carolina Arias came in for a sliding challenge, but the ball deflected off her hand and the referee immediately whistled for the penalty spot. Fara Williams stepped to the spot and buried the penalty to the upper left corner and England had a two-goal lead.
England held the two goal lead heading into stoppage time, but Colombia made one last charge to try and steal second place from the English. Lady Andrade chased down a ball played from the back into the penalty area and Andrade lobbed a ball over Karen Bardsley, even as the English keeper leaped high to try to stop the shot. The ball snuck in across the goal line at the far post. England however held on to take second in the group.
