Spain 2-1 Japan
Real Madrid players Olga Carmona started on the left back and Athenea del Castillo played as a right winger for Spain in their Olympic debut for Spain.
Spain started the game strong, with their first attack in the very first minute led by Athenea who entered the box and tried to shoot, but unsuccessfully. In the third minute, Japan got their first and only corner kick of the game which wasn’t a notable attempt to endanger the Spanish goal.
The beginning of the game looked to be more-or-less balanced. Spaniards started the game with strong and quick passes and continued the rest of the match with their usual style of play. Even though the Spanish team dominated throughout the match, the match didn’t contain many clear chances. Spain had 66% possession in the first half, and it climbed to 75% by the end of the game. Despite the possession, Japan was quite successful in their off-the-ball movement which managed to close the Spaniards before reaching the box many times. Japan allowed 14 total shots, out of which 5 of them were saved by the goalkeeper Yamashita.
One interesting statistic is that Japan won 14 freekicks, while Spain only 2. Japan’s only goal of the game, and the one that gave them a short-lived lead against Spain was scored from a direct freekick by Aoba Fujino.
Only nine minutes later, Spain equalized with a goal by Aitana, orchestrated by Athenea. Athenea del Castillo operated on the right wing where she opened up the play by passing pack to Patri Guijarro who combined with Putellas after which Athenea managed a through-pass inside the box to Aitana.
The winner goal of the game was scored by Mariona Caldentey in 74’after a marvelous combination with Aitana after which she dribbled past the Japanese midfield.
Olga got subbed off for Oihane in 60’ after which Ona Batlle moved to the left back while Oihane operated on the right. For the last eight minutes of regular time, Teresa was sobbed on for Patri Guijarro who was seen creating triangles with the left hand-side.
France 3-2 Colombia
Out of Real Madrid players, Sandie Toletti started for France in midfield as a DM, the new Madridista Maëlle Lakrar on the left back, while Linda Caicedo started on the left wing for Colombia.
The game seemed balanced on pitch in the first half, even though the scoreboard told a different story. Colombia seemed sharper with more prominent attacks, but much less efficient than the French as France went to the halftime break with a 3-0 lead.
France took an early lead with a goal by Marie-Antoinette Katoto who took advantage of Colombia’s failed back pass in 6’.
The second goal was scored by Kenza Dali, and assisted by Real Madrid’s new reinforcement Maëlle Lakrar from a cross into the Colombian box.
Toward the end of the first half, in 42’, Katoto got her brace taking her country to a 3-0 lead. She combined with Diani on the left side of the box to finally shoot it in.
For Colombia, the biggest threat was Mayra Ramirez for the French goal who was explosive in her run-ins.
In the first nine minutes of the second half, Colombia won themselves a penalty which was given away by France’s goalkeeper Peyraud-Magnin. Catalina Usme took it upon herself to take the penalty kick and scored to make it 3-1. Only 10 minutes later, in 64’ Manuela Pavi minimized France’s lead to 3-2.
Colombians tried to do the seemingly impossible and tie the game but were ultimately unsuccessful. Mayra Ramirez fouled Selma Bacha receiving a yellow card which was then checked by VAR and corrected to a red card. The match had 10 minutes of added time in which Colombia tried to level the game.
All three Madridistas featured in this game- Lakrar, Toletti and Caicedo – played the full 90’.
