French Journalist Pleads With USWNT Star Tobin Heath to Let France Win Huge Quarter Final
A French journalist has jokingly pleaded with USA stars Tobin Heath and Sam Mewis to let France win the hotly anticipated Women's World Cup quarter final clash between the two tournament favourites in Paris on Friday night.
As soon as the draw for the competition was made in December of last year, this game has been a huge talking point. And with both nations winning their groups and successfully navigating the round of 16, despite tricky ties, it has now become a reality.
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When France kicked off their campaign with a thumping 4-0 win at a rocking Parc des Princes earlier this month, people were already looking to Les Bleues returning to the capital to meet the World Cup holders and number one ranked team in the world in a knockout context.
Most people believe that the winner of this game will be lifting the trophy next month.
On media duty in the build up to kick off this week, Heath and Mewis were faced with one very odd question from a local journalist.
"I am French, so I have just one question for both you," the reporter began.
"Can you just, on Friday, let us win please?"
The response from a bemused and smiling Heath came, "That's a question?"
Just to clarify, the USWNT forward added, "No", to a chorus of laughs, as if it needed saying.
France have never won the Women's World Cup, but could yet become the first country to hold both the men's and women's trophies simultaneously after last summer's triumph in Russia.
The United States began their campaign just over two weeks ago with a record breaking 13-0 win over Thailand. That was followed by 3-0 and 2-0 wins over Chile and old international foes Sweden respectively, contributing to a World Cup record for goals in a group stage (18).
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Their last 16 clash with Spain was much tougher. Megan Rapinoe scored twice from the penalty spot in the opening and closing stages - both awards were deemed soft - but the Spaniards threatened to expose much talked about but as yet unseen USA defensive frailty throughout.
Read: The Secret's Out - Spain Just Showed the Whole Women's World Cup How to Beat the USWNT
