Related items

• France 3-0 United States: Slow-starting hosts rally to opening Olympics win

  Hosts France recovered from a slow start to ease to a 3-0 opening win over the United States at Paris 2024 on Wednesday.

  There has been plenty of excitement around the home nation heading into the men's Olympic tournament, with coach Thierry Henry selecting a strong squad even with superstars like Kylian Mbappe absent.

  Yet it took more than an hour for the match in Marseille to spark into life, and even then France were reliant on a moment of magic from captain Alexandre Lacazette.

  The United States were the better side up until Lacazette's breakthrough goal, with Djordje Mihailovic thundering against the crossbar shortly before the veteran striker went up the other end and picked out the bottom-left corner.

  A frantic spell followed in which France twice could have been pegged back, grateful first to Guillaume Restes for a superb save from Paxten Aaronson and then to the goal frame as John Tolkin headed against the post.

  Instead, a second goal against the run of play settled the nerves in the stands as Bayern Munich new boy Michael Olise curled a fine finish around Patrick Schulte from outside the box.

  And Loic Bade added further gloss with a header from a Joris Chotard corner five minutes from time, while Griffin Yow saw a late consolation goal struck off for offside.

  Data Debrief: Belated home comfort for Les Bleus

  On paper, the gulf between the two teams was evident in the scoreline, but for those home fans in Marseille who grew audibly agitated early in the second half, this was far from easy viewing.

  Although France finished with three goals, they only created chances worth 0.43 expected goals (xG). The strikes by Lacazette and Olise were inspired individual efforts rather than the result of fine team play.

  Winning gold as the hosts is not easy in this event – only four nations (Great Britain in 1908, Belgium in 1920, Spain in 1992 and Brazil in 2016) have done so previously in 27 attempts – but more will be expected of Henry's outfit going forward.

• Muir lauds 'inspirational' Murray ahead of Olympics swansong

  Olympic silver medallist Laura Muir described fellow Team GB member Andy Murray as "inspirational" ahead of the Paris Games. 

  Muir, who came second in the 1,500m in Tokyo three years ago, will again compete this year in the hopes of sealing a first gold medal in Paris. 

  Three-time grand slam winner Murray has confirmed he will retire from tennis after the Games, having previously won gold on two occasions.

  The Scot's first Games appearance was in Beijing in 2008, losing in straight sets to Lu Yen-hsun in the first round.

  Four years later, Murray triumphed on home soil by beating Roger Federer at London 2012, beating the Swiss in straight sets in the final.

  The Briton became the first male tennis player to win two Olympic singles titles when he beat Argentina's Juan Martin del Potro at Rio 2016.

  Murray withdrew from the singles event at the most recent grand slam at Wimbledon, competing in the doubles alongside brother Jamie but going out in the first round.

  Dan Evans will partner Murray in the doubles in Paris, with Muir praising the Scot's influence both on and off the court across his 19-year professional career. 

  "I think it's just he's been at the top for so long, and it's just been so nice to see him progress through everything," Muir told Stats Perform. 

  "He's had so many hard times and he's come back and he's fought so hard and he's been so patient and such a big sportsmanship person at the same time.

  "I think he's just hugely inspirational, not just in the sport of tennis but through Scottish sports and also lots of other sports on the team as well.

  "Just to see someone fight for so long and do so well, it's been so nice to see.

  "So it'll be such a shame that we won't see more of him to come, but it's just so nice to be able to finish it with the Olympics - he's hugely inspirational person both on and off the court."

  Fellow 1,500m hopeful Jake Wightman, who finished 10th at the Tokyo games, echoed Muir's words on Murray's glittering career. 

  "I think probably him winning Wimbledon for the first time is like a iconic moment within my sporting history, just because I'd watched Wimbledon most years and never seen a Brit perform anywhere near that level," Wightman told Stats Perform. 

  "You'd obviously had Tim Henman going to a certain point, but it had been an era of just watching [Rafael] Nadal and Federer for a long time battling it out.

  "So to see somebody in Britain, a British athlete, being able to go and do that was, I think, something that we may not see for a long time."

• Pogacar girlfriend's snub 'certainly didn't help' as Tour de France champion skips Olympics

  Tadej Pogacar has acknowledged girlfriend Urska Zigart's Olympics snub contributed to his decision to withdraw from Paris 2024.

  The three-time Tour de France champion had been scheduled to take part in the men's road race at the Games on August 3, but it was announced on Monday he would not take part.

  While Slovenia's Olympic cycling coach Uros Murn attributed Pogacar's absence to "extreme fatigue" after claiming his latest Tour title last week, the UAE Team Emirates superstar was back in action the following day at a criterium race in Surhuisterveen.

  Questioned about his Paris decision by Dutch broadcaster NOS, Pogacar revealed his frustration at Zigart missing out on a place in the Slovenian squad.

  "It's not the main reason, but it certainly didn't help," he said. "I think she deserves her place. She's a two-time national champion in the road race and time trial."

  Urska Pintar and Eugenia Bujak were preferred to Zigart for the women's road race. Zigart won the national title in that event ahead of Pintar last month.