France and Colombia reach World Cup quarter-finals

@FIFAWWC/ Twitter

Eugenie Le Sommer netted a brace to lead France to a 4-0 victory over debutants Morocco in their last-16 match at the Women's World Cup, and into the quarter-finals for the third consecutive time.

Kadidiatou Diani's fourth goal of the tournament, a header in the 15th minute, sparked an eight-minute three-goal Les Bleues blitz, with Kenza Dali and Le Sommer also scoring at Hindmarsh Stadium, ending the North African side's fairytale run.

France next face hosts Australia in the quarter-finals on Saturday in Brisbane.

Morocco became the lowest-ranked team (72) to play in the last 16, bouncing back from a 6-0 rout by Germany to beat South Korea and Colombia.

But they were no match for fifth-ranked France who went unbeaten in the group stage, capped by a dramatic 6-3 win over Panama.

Elsewhere, a second-half goal by Catalina Usme fired Colombia to a 1-0 win over Jamaica and carried the South Americans to their first Women's World Cup quarter-final.

The captain's 51st-minute strike sent Colombian fans into delirium at a packed Melbourne Rectangular Stadium and ensured the last American team in the tournament will battle England for a place in the last four.

"We are representing the whole continent of South America," Colombia coach Nelson Abadia told reporters.

"This (result) has a very special meaning. When we qualified for the World Cup the first thing I said to my team was, 'We’re not just here to spend time, we want to make history'."

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