Colombia could have delivered the upset of the tournament in their Group F fixture, clinching a 2-0 defeat over firm favourites France in a historic World Cup shock.
France had overcome England in their opening fixture, and the Three Lionesses appeared to be their toughest opponents, meaning the Blues should have soared through to the last 16. Ranked third in the world, they took on a very average Colombian side but were left stunned by their passion and spirit.
With the European outfit dominating play early on, Eugenie Le Sommer could have netted a hat-trick inside fifteen minutes. However, it was Colombia who proved clinical in their finishing, with Lady Andrade racing clear after 19 minutes to tap home under Sarah Bouhaddi and open the scoring.
France upped the tempo once again, and dictated play across the 90 minutes. Nonetheless, they simply couldn’t find the net on the evening, with every chance going amiss or somehow taking a wicked deflection. Most notably a effort in the 93rd minute which left Le Sommer speechless on the ground in the penalty box.
Despite the Blues best efforts to get something from the game and all but seal their passage to the knockouts, Colombia proved their worth in front of goal in the dying embers of the game.
Usme Pineda pounced on a rare defensive error from the French as they desperately committed players forward in search of that elusive goal, and provided the finish that confirmed the South Americans first ever World Cup win.
Admittedly, France could count themselves unlucky after unsuccessfully appealing for what looked a decisive penalty following Daniela Montoya’s handball in the box, but little could be done as Colombia celebrated three points.
Speaking after the historic victory, Colombian coach Fabian Taborda told FIFA: “My team are very ambitious and they showed that again today against France. We knew that we’d have to play intelligently and fight for every ball. My players are real battlers and they’ve proved that we’re not just here to make up the numbers.”
Colombia could now become the surprise stars of the tournament with the prospect of the knock-out rounds looming as they sit top of Group F with one round of group fixtures left to play. Their remaining game is against England – a match that is now crucial for both crucial the Lionesses and the French.
