2019 Women's World Cup: France defeats South Korea 4-0
The 2019 Women's World Cup kicked off Friday with France beating South Korea 4-0. France came into the tournament as one of the heavy favorites to win the championship --and for good reason. The home team is stacked with seven players from the country's best football club, Olympique Lyonnais.
France was favored to win the Group A opener against South Korea by 2.5 points.
Group A standings
Teams are awarded three points for a win and one for a tie. Ordered by win, loss, tie.
- France (1-0-0) 3 points
- Norway (0-0-0) 0 points
- Nigeria (0-0-0) 0 points
- South Korea (0-0-1) 0 points
France vs. South Korea, 4-0
Goals, by minutes.
- Eugenie Le Sommer, 9th minute
- Wendie Renard, 35th minute
- Wendie Renard, 45th minute
- Amandine Henry, 85th minute
France struck fast, with Amandine Henry passing to Eugenie Le Sommer for the first goal of the game. Le Sommer has scored 11 goals in her last 11 games.
It took France only 8 minutes to get the first goal of the tournament. Henry, the French captain, made a run down the right side and placed a perfect cross to the center of the box to center and Le Sommer put it away.
The Korean keeper got a touch to the ball, but it hit the underside of the crossbar and ricocheted straight into the net.
France was poised to score its second goal in the 27th minute of the game with a volley off the foot of Griedge Mbock Bathy. But after a lengthy review, the goal was called back because Bathy was offside. This is the first year Video Assistant Referee (VAR) is being used at the Women's World Cup.
Minutes later, Wendie Renard scored with a header. Thiney aimed her corner directly into the center of the box as Renard headed it into the lower right corner. At 6'2", Renard is the tallest player in the Women's World Cup.
France scored goal number three from another corner in stoppage time of the first half. In a repeat of the second goal, Renard stood in the center of the penalty area and headed the corner into the left corner of the net on the last play of the half.
Henry got the fourth goal of the game with a curved strike at the bottom corner. This is her first goal for France in over a year.
Players to watch
France: Wendie Renard is one of the best football players and defenders in the world. The 28-year-old has 20 goals and is the heart of the French club's defense.
South Korea: Ji So-yun has scored 54 goals in 115 appearances with the South Korean club.