KEIR RADNEDGE REPORTS: Women’s football was voted into the Olympic programme by the IOC in time for the Atlanta summer Games of 1986. In all seven succeeding Games no country has ever doubled up by celebrating gold medal success simultaneously in both the women’s and men’s tournaments. That may change next weekend.

On Saturday Spain secured progress to the quarter-finals of the men’s Paris tournament and 24 hours later the women’s team lived up to their world champions pedigree by ensuring knockout round status in their own event.

Alexia Putellas, FIFA’s Best world women’s player in both 2021 and 2022, broke the deadlock with a superb free kick in the 85th minute of their tie against Nigeria in Group C. The 1-0 win in Nantes thus maintained Spain’s 100pc record after their opening 2-1 defeat of Japan.

The Japanese maintained their own hopes of progress by defeating Brazil 2-in the Parc des Princes in Paris. Brazil were leading with a 56th-minute goal from Jheniffer when they thought it was safe to substitute six-time Olympian Marta shortly before the end. The ploy backfired when Japan struck twice in stoppage time through Saki Kumagai (penalty) and substitute Momoko Tanikawa.

Reigning Olympic champions Canada set aside the drone storm long enough to defeat hosts France 2-1 in Group A. Victory kept alive Canada’s hopes of reaching the quarter-finals despite a six-point deduction and year-long suspension of coach Bev Priestman over the spying scandal.

Canada even went 1-0 down in the 42nd minute to a French goal from Marie-Antoinette Katoto. However captain Jessie Fleming equalised 13 minutes after the break and Vanessa Gilles pounced for a close-range winer in the 12th minute of second half stoppage time.

The top two teams in each three groups advance, along with two best third-placed sides. This means Canada, now led by assistant coach Andy Spence, could yet qualify with a significant win over Colombian in their final group game. Colombia have three points after beating New Zealand 2-0 in Lyon.

Group B action saw the four-times Olympic champions United States secure progress to the knockout stage with a 4-1 victory over Germany. Sophia Smith scored two first-half goals with the other two coming from Mallory Swanson and Lynn Williams.

The other Group B match featured 11 goals as Australia hit back from 2-0 down to beat Zambia 6-5 in Nice. Zambia’s Barbra Banda, despite finishing on the losing side, made history with her third hat-trick in the Olympic women’s tournament. She had scored two trebles at the pandemic-delayed Games in Tokyo three years ago.

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