Steph Catley during a Matildas training session in Marbella, Spain in July 2024. Photo: Rachel Bach/Football Australia

There were 11 goals scored in Nice, Canada continues to be the biggest point of the Games, and two teams secured advancement to the knockout stages following victories on Monday morning (AEST).

Round Ball Australia is here to wrap-up all the biggest talking points out of match day 2 of the 2024 Paris Olympics Women’s Football Tournament.

Chaos in Nice sees Matildas emerge victorious

After losing the opening game to Germany 3-0, the Matildas started the match against Zambia in the worst possible way, conceding inside the opening minute to Zambian superstar Barbra Banda, who’s inch-perfect strike left Mackenzie Arnold with no chance of making the save.

What would unfold over the remainder of the game was nothing short of extraordinary, with Banda scoring her third hat-trick in just five matches at the Olympics and Racheal Kundananji would score a brace, giving Zambia a 5-2 lead in the 56th minute.

Enter Michelle Heyman.

The introduction of the striker and a change in tactics would help spark the comeback for the Matildas, with the side finding the score sheet almost as soon as she entered the game.

Following two goals to Steph Catley to level the scores at 5-5, Heyman would score the game winner in the 90th minute for the 6-5 victory.

It was not easy for the Aussies, but a win is a win, no matter how you get it. Attention now turns to the USA, who are in dominant form having won 3-0 (vs Zambia) and 4-1 (vs Germany) in its opening two group stage games.

Canada can still advance to knockout stages despite six point deduction

The fallout from the drone spying incident continues to be felt across Canada Soccer, with FIFA handing down its punishments for the events that have transpired.

FIFA suspended Canada’s coach Bev Priestman, assistant coach Jasmine Mander, and analyst Joseph Lombardi from taking part in any football related activity for a year, while the federation was fined 200,000 Swiss Francs (approximately $345,000 AUD), and the team had six competition points deducted, taking it to -3pts in the Group A standings heading into Match Day 2. The side did however keep its goal differential, which stands at +2 following victory over France.

Canada Soccer and the Canadian Olympic Committee are looking at options to appeal the decision, but the side might still be able to advance regardless of whether there is an appeal with its victory over France on Monday (AEST).

France took a 1-0 lead into the half-time break in Saint-Etienne, with Marie-Antoinette Katoto scoring in the 42nd minute.

Captain Jessie Fleming would find the equaliser for Canada in the 58th minute, capitalising on a rebound after keeper Pauline Peyraud-Magnin was unable to take possession of the ball after making the initial save.

In the 12th minute of 13 minutes of stoppage time, Vanessa Gilles would find the winning goal for Canada, once again off a rebound after substitute keeper Constance Picaud made the initial save.

The 2-1 victory puts Canada back to 0 points in the standings with the six point deduction and third place in the group on goal difference.

If Canada beats Colombia on Thursday morning (AEST), it could advance as one of the best third place teams pending other results, and keep the Tokyo Olympics gold medal winners in the hunt for another medal.

Spain and the USA both victorious and secure advancement

As the only two sides on six points, Spain (Group C) and the USA (Group B) both sit atop their groups and secured advancement to the quarter finals.

This is because with two third-place sides advancing, the best possible standings result for the third place side in Group A is three points with Canada’s six-point deduction. Spain and the USA cannot finish below third in their groups, regardless of Thursday mornings (AEST) results, with Zambia (Group B) and Nigeria (Group C) without a win after two games.

The way both sides went about their match day 2 victories could not have been more different.

After a 53rd minute goal was disallowed for offside following a VAR review, Spain would have to wait until the 84th minute to find a way past the Nigerian defence and keeper Chiamaka Nnadozie, with Alexia Putellas scoring a scintillating free kick for the games only goal.

Emma Hayes’ side on the other hand dominated Germany en route to a 4-1 victory, showing that despite some questions and concerns entering the tournament, they are still the USA, one of the most dominant forces in women’s football in the last three decades, and not to be taken lightly.

Sophia Smith would score a first half brace, Mallory Swanson would score her third goal of the Games, and Lynn Williams would put the icing on the cake with an 89th minute strike, while Giulia Gwinn would score Germany’s lone goal.

Other results

Japan would claim its first victory of the games, defeating Brazil 2-1, with both sides now sitting on three points in Group C, and Colombia would defeat New Zealand 2-0 to advance to the top of Group A on goal difference, while New Zealand fall to the bottom with a -3 goal differential, making advancing a very difficult task, albeit not an impossibility.

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