France coach Thierry Henry called the behavior of some of his players unacceptable after their 1-0 Olympic soccer quarter-final victory over Argentina in Bordeaux ended in a brawl and a red card for midfielder Enzo Millot.
Hosts France knocked out Argentina on Friday to avenge the country’s defeat in the 2022 FIFA World Cup final in a bitter rivalry recently fueled by a video of Argentine players directing chants labeled as racist at French players.
However, the triumph, courtesy of a fifth-minute goal by Jean-Philippe Mateta, was tarnished moments after the final whistle when French celebrations in front of Argentine players led to a brief brawl in which Millot was shown a red card.
Photo: AFP
“I do not agree with what happened at the end,” Henry told Argentine broadcaster TyC Sports. “One of my players got a red card and I don’t accept that, it shouldn’t happen. I went to shake [Argentine coach Javier] Mascherano’s hand and, when I turned around, it had happened.”
Aside from the trouble, Henry praised his Argentine counterpart Mascherano after a tight match in which the South Americans pushed for an equalizer, but were ultimately held by the French back line.
“We tried to play between the lines but it was very tough,” the former France international said. “Argentina had possession and we played on the counter-attack. The goal came quickly, I don’t want to say that scared us, but we had to wait more. That’s not so easy.”
France are to play against Egypt tomorrow for a place in the final in a bid to win their first Olympic soccer gold medal in 40 years.
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