Harriel and Aaronson start, U.S. drops Olympic opener to host France

Nathan Harriel and Paxten Aaronson both started and Jack McGlynn came off the bench for the United States in front of a sold out crowd of 67,000 to open the Paris Olympics Men’s Football tournament on Wednesday.

Unfortunately for the U.S. and the three fellow Philadelphia Union Academy and YSC Academy grads the result wasn’t what they were hoping for in the first appearance for a men’s team at an Olympics since 2008.

Veteran captain Alexandre Lacazette – one of three overage players on France’s roster – opened the scoring for Les Bleus just after the hour mark. The 33-year-old Lyon striker then set up Michael Olise for France’s second in the 69th minute. Center back Loïc Badé rounded out the scoring when he head in a Joris Chotard corner kick in the 85th minute.

The U.S. thought they had found a goal in stoppage time when substitute Griffin Yow – who subbed in for Aaronson in the 76th minute – put the ball in but it was later waived off after video review.

McGlynn subbed into the game in the 76th minute while Harriel played the full 90. The Union duo were the first active Union players to represent the U.S. in an Olympics in what has been the first appearance for the men’s team since the Union entered MLS.

New Zealand defeated Guinea 2-1 in the other Group A match on Wednesday. The USA will return to Marseille for a crucial meeting with New Zealand on Saturday, July 27 (1 p.m. ET, USA Network, Telemundo, Peacock). The top two teams in the group advance to the knockouts.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YhK8TrXqu40

Lineups:

USA: 1-Patrick Schulte; 2-Nathan Harriel, 3-Walker Zimmerman, 12-Miles Robinson, 5-John Tolkin; 6-Gianluca Busio (4-Maximilian Dietz, 71’), 8-Tanner Tessmann (Capt.) 14-Djordje Mihailovic (16-Jack McGlynn, 76’); 11-Paxten Aaronson (9-Griffin Yow, 76’), 9-Duncan McGuire (17-Caleb Wiley, 86’), 7-Kevin Paredes (10-Taylor Booth, 76’)

Substitutes: 18-Gaga Slonina, 15-Benjamin Cremaschi

Head coach: Marko Mitrović

FRA: 16-Guillaume Restes; 5-Kiliann Sildillia, 4-Loïc Badé, 2-Castello Lukeba, 3-Adrien Truffert; 12-Enzo Millot (8-Maghnes Akliouche, 71’), 6-Manu Koné (17-Soungoutou Magassa, 87’), 7-Michael Olise (11-Désiré Doué, 82’), 13-Joris Chotard; 14-Jean-Philippe Mateta (9-Arnaud Kalimuendo, 71’), 10-Alexandre Lacazette

Substitutes: 1-Obed Nkambadio, 15-Bradley Locko, 18-Rayan Cherki

Head coach: Thierry Henry