NICE: Canada shook off a six-point deficit following a spying scandal to advance to the quarter-finals of the women’s Olympic soccer tournament with a 1-0 win over Colombia in their final group game on Wednesday.
Defender Vanessa Gilles, who scored a dramatic late winner against France in Canada’s previous game, headed home Jessie Fleming’s free kick just after the hour mark for the only goal of the game in Nice.
It meant the reigning Olympic champions finished in Group A with three wins from three, but the points deduction left them with just three points from the first round.
This was still enough for them to qualify for the quarter-finals in second place, behind group winners France and ahead of Colombia on goal difference.
The Canadians will advance to the round of 16 against defending champions Germany from 2016 in Marseille on Saturday.
The final whistle was greeted with jubilant scenes by the Canadian players, who were given bad news in the hours before the game when the Court of Arbitration for Sport rejected their appeal against the point deduction.
Canada was handed six points and fined 200,000 Swiss francs ($226,000) by FIFA as punishment after a staff member used a drone to spy on New Zealand training before their opening game of the tournament, which Canada won 2-1.
Coach Bev Priestman has been banned for a year by FIFA for her role in the scandal, meaning assistant coach Andy Spence has taken over on an interim basis.
France topped the group after bouncing back from a 2-1 loss to Canada to beat New Zealand by the same margin in Lyon.
Prolific striker Marie-Antoinette Katoto scored both of France’s goals, her fourth and fifth strikes of the competition, either side of Kate Taylor’s effort for New Zealand.
Earlier, the United States claimed a 2-1 win over Australia in Marseille to top Group B with a perfect record.
Goals in each half from Trinity Rodman and Korbin Albert made the difference for the USA, with Alanna Kennedy pulling one back for eliminated Australia.
The United States, coached by former England Chelsea boss Emma Hayes, now face Group C runners-up Japan in Paris on Saturday in a repeat of the London 2012 Olympic final won by the USA.
Germany secured second place in Group B with a 4-1 win over Zambia in Saint-Etienne, in which Lea Schueller scored twice and Klara Buehl and Elisa Senss were also on target, with Barbra Banda grabbing the consolation.
Brazil advanced to the quarter-finals against France as the best third-place finishers despite losing 2-0 to World Cup holders Spain in Bordeaux in a game that will be best remembered for Marta’s dismissal.
The 38-year-old Brazil legend left the pitch in tears after being shown a straight red card in first-half stoppage time for a dangerous high tackle on Spain captain Olga Carmona.
She was inconsolable as she walked off the court in what could turn out to be her last act at the Olympics.
The multiple winner of the FIFA World Player of the Year award is appearing in her sixth Olympics and featured in the teams that won silver in 2004 and 2008.
Her hopes of reappearing at this tournament hinge on Brazil getting past the quarter-finals.
Athenea del Castillo came on to lead already qualified Spain against Brazil and Alexia Putellas was stretchered off through injury in the 17th minute.
Spain will now face Colombia in Lyon on Saturday. Japan finished second in the group behind Spain after beating Nigeria 3-1 in Nantes, with Maika Hamano, Mina Tanaka and Hikaru Kitagawa scoring their goals, the latter from a fine free-kick. Jennifer Echegini answered for Nigeria.
