Defending champions Canada reached the quarter-finals of the women’s Olympics football tournament on Wednesday in Nice hours after they had an appeal against their six-point deduction dismissed.
The Canadians qualified after a 1-0 win over Colombia who also booked their spot in the knockouts on Wednesday, along with France, Germany, Japan and Brazil.
Wednesday’s results have thus set up some tantalising last-eight ties.
Canada will take on Germany, the U.S. will meet Japan, Spain will face Colombia and France are to take on Brazil, with the quarter-finals being held on Saturday.
Canada were docked six points following a drone spying scandal that led to the suspension of coach Bev Priestman and other staff members.
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 were now led by assistant coach Andy Spence.
But they needed maximum points against Colombia to progress from Group A.
After wins against New Zealand and hosts France, Vanessa Gilles scored in the 61st minute against Colombia following a set-piece.
It was enough to send them into the knockouts after finishing second in the standings with three points.
In spite of the defeat, Colombia reached their first-ever Olympics quarter-finals 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 levelled 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.
They finished in second place in Group B.
Schueller opened the scoring for the 2016 gold medallists 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 minute, before Senss sealed the rout in stoppage-time.
Australia were eliminated after a 2-1 defeat to the U.S. left them third in Group B with three points, but with an inferior goal difference to the other two third-placed sides, Brazil and Colombia.
The already-qualified U.S. produced another dominant performance to finish the group stage with a perfect nine points.
Trinity Rodman put the four-times gold medallists ahead in the 43rd minute and Korbin Albert made it 2-0 with a terrific shot in the 77th minute.
Alanna Kennedy then pulled one back for Australia in stoppage-time.
In Group C, Brazil lost 2-0 to Spain, who had already booked their knockout spot and claimed their third straight win thanks to second-half goals from Athenea del Castillo and Alexia Putellas.
Brazil’s all-time leading scorer Marta, who is retiring from international football this year, was left in tears after a dangerous challenge on Spain’s Olga Carmona.
That was after the act earned her a red card in the final seconds of the first half.
Del Castillo dealt Brazil another blow scoring in the 68th minute before a superb strike from Putellas sealed the triumph for the World Cup winners, who finished top of Group C.
Group C runners-up Japan beat Nigeria’s Super Falcons 3-1 in Nantes to finish with six points.
Chelsea’s Maika Hamano opened the scoring in the 22nd minute and Mina Tanaka added another 10 minutes later.
Jennifer Echegini made it 2-1 three minutes from halftime but Hikaru Kitagawa secured Japan the win with a free kick.(Reuters/NAN)
