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WOMEN'S WORLD CUP

WORLD CUP

Colombia upset France at Women’s World Cup

Goals in either half from Lady Andrade and Catalina Usme lifted Colombia to an historic 2-0 Women's World Cup win against France on Saturday in the first major upset of the tournament.

Published: 14 June 2015 12:24 CEST
Colombia upset France at Women's World Cup

Third-ranked France had been bidding to seal their last 16 berth along with champions Japan after a 1-0 win over England in their opener, but must now wait until their final game in a tight Group F.

Colombia, ranked 28, moved top of Group F with four points from two games, with France on three, as England and Mexico play later Saturday.

“This is an ambitious team, eager and willing to go after victory,” said Colombia coach Fabian Taborda.

“We're not here just to make up numbers, we're here to improve and win. These ladies are fighters and warriors.”

The French fell behind early when Andrade, 23, picked up a pass from Yoreli Rincon after 19 minutes to beat Sarah Bouhaddi in the France goal.

That strike visibly boosted Las Cafeteras' confidence, as French morale took a bashing.

And late in the game, with all the French team camped in the Colombian half pushing for an equaliser, second-half substitute Usme broke through to close out the victory three minutes into injury time.

“Disappointment is the only word for it,” said France coach Philippe Bergeroo.

“Today Colombia really deserved their victory. We knew they were very good, but when you come up against an enthusiastic team like that it's difficult.

“And then the morale took a knock when we conceded the first goal.”

It was a first World Cup win for the Colombians who drew 1-1 with Mexico in their opener.

“We came up against a super goalkeeper and lacked finesse in our technique,” said Bergeroo.

“At the end of the match we tried to go all out and we conceded the second goal.

“For me it's the team who lost the match today not any individual player. We missed enormous chances. We can only blame ourselves.”

Colombian goalkeeper Sandra Sepulveda, who missed their opening game because of injury, pulled off a string of fine saves.

France striker Eugenie Le Sommer had Les Bleues' best chance minutes before the break, but Sepulveda held firm, as she also pulled off magnificent saves from Elise Bussaglia (46) and Claire Lavogez (90+1).

“It's a tremendous joy and gratifying to be part of this great moment,” said Sepulveda.

“We know how much we've trained to win this match. Our work has borne fruit.”

France almost got the equaliser with 20 minutes to go when Sepulveda handled the ball just outside of her area, but Camille Abily's tame effort went straight into the Colombian goalie's hands.

In desperation Bergeroo sent in his three substitutes in a bid to boost the front line.

Abily, Le Sommer, Lavogez, Jessica Houara and Amandine Henry all came close to earning a point, but Colombia's backline held firm.

Las Cafeteras kept the French at bay and their composure paid off when Usme's quick thinking paid off, with wild celebrations moments later at the final whistle.

“I think people think that Colombia come here just to compete,” said Andrade of her side who are competing in their second World Cup.

“We're very united as a group, it's very difficult for us to be defeated,” she warned.

“We'll continue surprising I'm sure. We've evolved in our mindset and are now thinking big.”

The result leaves it all to play for in Wednesday's final group games with France, fourth at the 2011 World Cup and 2012 Olympics, taking on Mexico and Colombia playing England.

The top two teams in each group advance to the knock-out round along with the four best third-place finishers.

SPORT

Norway’s football clubs to vote on Qatar World Cup boycott

Will Norwegian football star Erling Braut Haaland stay home or play on what fans have dubbed a "cemetery?" This Sunday, a meeting of Norway's football community will decide whether to boycott next year's World Cup in Qatar.

Published: 18 June 2021 11:27 CEST
Norway's football clubs to vote on Qatar World Cup boycott
Norway's forward Erling Haaland (L) and teammates wear jerseys reading "Fair play for migrant workers" before the international friendly football match between Norway and Greece at La Rosaleda stadium in Malaga in preperation for the UEFA European Championships, on June 6, 2021. JORGE GUERRERO / AFP

Under pressure from grassroots activists the Norwegian Football Federation(NFF) has decided to hold an extraordinary congress to decide on whether to pass up football’s showpiece event all together.

The games on the pitches in the Middle Eastern emirate will “unfortunately be like playing on a cemetery,” according to Ole Kristian Sandvik, spokesman of the Norwegian Supporters Alliance (NSA), invoking a commonly used metaphor among opponents of Norway’s participation.

Norway, which has not qualified for a major international competition since Euro 2000, is currently fourth in its World Cup qualifying group behind Turkey, the Netherlands and Montenegro. 

So while qualification seems an uphill task, the result of the vote could have an impact on whether Norway and its young star Haaland — one of the rising stars of world football — continue to play qualifying matches. 

The movement calling for a boycott began north of the Arctic Circle when football club Tromso IL spoke out against turning a blind eye to alleged human rights abuses at the end of February.

“We can no longer sit and watch people die in the name of football,” the first division club proclaimed.

Qatar has faced criticism for its treatment of migrant workers, many of whom are involved in the construction of stadiums and infrastructure for the 2022 World Cup, with campaigners accusing employers of exploitation and forcing labourers to work in dangerous conditions.

Qatari authorities meanwhile insist they have done more than any country in the region to improve worker welfare.

“There is no doubt that this World Cup should never have been awarded to Qatar,” Tom Hogli, a former professional footballer turned public relations officer for Tromso IL, told AFP.

“The conditions there are abominable and many have lost their lives,” he added.

In March, a spokesman for the Qatari organisers put the number of deaths on the construction sites at “three” since 2014, with another 35 having died away from their workplaces, challenging the heavy toll reported by some rights groups.

Push from fans
The Tromso call began gathering pace in Norway, where clubs operate under a democratic structure, and under pressure from fans, many teams now say “nei” (no).

According to Sandvik, the fans feel that the deaths on the World Cup sites would have been avoided “if they had not had to build hotels, railways and stadiums”.

Nearly half of Norwegians, 49 percent, now say they are in favour of a boycott, while only 29 percent are against it, according to a poll published by newspaper VG on Wednesday.

The Nordic country’s national squad has already protested conditions in Qatar, but stopped short of calling for a boycott.

Before recent Norway games, Borussia Dortmund superstar Haaland, captain Martin Odegaard and the rest of the team have worn t-shirts with slogans like “Human rights on and off the pitch.”

Other countries, like Germany, the Netherlands and Denmark have also followed suit.

FIFA, on the other hand, argue that awarding the hosting of the World Cup in Qatar has opened the door to social progress.

“We know there is still work to be done, but we need to recognise the significant progress achieved in a very short time,” FIFA president Gianni Infantino said in May.

‘Few successes’ 
While the executive committee of the NFF have said they regret Qatar being awarded the World Cup, they oppose a boycott.

President Terje Svendsen said he thought it was “not the right tool to improve the human rights situation or the working conditions in Qatar,” when speaking at the federation’s ordinary annual congress in March.

According to the NFF, a boycott could end up costing Norway 205 million Norwegian kroner ($24 million, 20 million euros) in fines and compensation as well as lost revenue.

Feeling the pressure from grassroots campaigns, the NFF referred the matter to an extraordinary congress which on Sunday will bring together the eight members of its executive committee, representatives of 18 districts and of hundreds of professional and amateur clubs.

The discussions will be revolve around the findings of an expert committee which, with the exception of two members representing fans, has also come out against a boycott.

“For a boycott to succeed, you need a critical mass behind it, an opposition that calls for it in the country, the UN to put pressure on the
authorities, the business world, the trade unions and civil society to put pressure on it in the long term,” committee chairman Sven Mollekleiv said in a debate hosted by broadcaster TV2.

“Historically, there are few successes,” he said.

Rather than a boycott, the committee recommended 26 measures to consolidate and further the gains made in Qatar but also to ensure that FIFA doesn’t become complicit in so called “sportswashing” — the polishing of a country’s public image through a major sporting event.

Some initial supporters of a boycott, like Tromso’s Hogli, have since sided with these conclusions, although calls for a complete boycott remain.

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