France

Last round of Group C match underway

The New Zealanders, in white, are led by Captain Meikayla Moore playing under fine weather conditions in front of a good crowd of supporters.

Isabella Coombers, who scored a goal in the previous game of this tournament, is also on the starting line-up while Tayla Christensen, who also scored in previous match, is on the bench.

The French side, in blue, is led by Captain Dephine Cascarino.

Cascarino scored for France in their previous games along with Clara Mateo, who is also on the starting line-up.

France in must-win match against New Zealand

The European team will take on New Zealand at 4pm local time at Bava Park in the last match of the Group C round.

France is behind New Zealand by one point on the group ladder sitting in third place with two points.

New Zealand is second on three points behind leaders the United States on four points.

France is yet to register a win in the tournament with two draw matches against USA nil all in the first match and 2-2 against Ghana in the second match.

New Zealand has one win, against Ghana 1-0 in the first match, and a loss to USA 3-1 in its second match.

France substitute Mateo breaks Ghana’s hearts

Ghana coach Mas-Ud Dramani sumed up the final score as a defeat for his team after leading throughout the match.

The second match of the FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup Group C matches sets the pace for three time champions, USA and group leaders, New Zealand who will start play at 7pm at the PNG Football Stadium. 

Meanwhile, France striker Delphine Cascarino hit a perfectly calculated ball into the goal mouth and Mateo did not made a mistake to place it into the side of the net with well timed precision for the draw.   

USA and France draw nil in first Group C Match

Adding dismay to both teams was the hot temperature of Port Moresby testing the fitness level of both teams in the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup staged in Papua New Guinea. 

USA made the first attempt to score a goal but France goal keeper Mylene Chavas made a crucial move to deny USA talented striker and captain, Mallory Pugh who had only the keeper to beat 15 metres out of the goal mark.

The only chance for the France ladies came at the second half for a free penalty kick outside the 15 meter box.

Missed tackles, turnovers fatal for Manu Samoa

 The Manu defence leaked seven tries, with a seventh minute penalty kick from Patrick Faapale and Rey Lee-Lo try immediately after half-time all the visitors had to show for 80 minutes.

Alama Ieremia said it was a tough night at the office.

"If you start missing tackles at the top level and turn the ball over at the top level you get punished - especially by a very quality tier one country like France," he said.

That first half we made far too many errors for this level and we learnt a very harsh lesson."

Samoa and France name sides to meet in Toulouse

With Tusi Pisi out injured, Faapale is flyhalf alongside Kahn Fotuali'i as the Samoans look to upset les Bleus.

David Lemi will again lead the side.

Lemi joins Paul Perez and Paul Williams in the back-three with the experienced Rey Lee-Lo and George Pisi starting in the midfield.

North Harbour and former NZ U20 player Christopher Vui will partner with Filo Paulo in the locking combination for the Samoans.

For France, Maxime Machenaud has been selected at scrumhalf by France coach Guy Noves.

France opens first drug room for addicts

The controversial drug room was opened by Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo and Health Minister Marisol Touraine on Tuesday. It is near the Gare du Nord, a busy station where drug crime is common.

The users will exchange hard drugs like heroin and crack for substitutes, along with sterile injection kits.

Critics fear it could fuel drug abuse.

Ms Touraine said France had become the tenth country to set up drug rooms, which Switzerland pioneered in 1986. There are plans to open two more - in Strasbourg, eastern France, and Bordeaux in the south-west.

Syria conflict: Russia's Putin halts France visit amid row

He had been due to meet French President Francois Hollande and open a new Orthodox church later this month.

But after France's government said talks would be confined to Syria the visit was halted, French presidential sources said.

On Monday, Mr Hollande suggested Russia could face war crimes charges over its bombardment of Syria's city of Aleppo.

The French presidency had told the Russians Mr Hollande would attend only one event with Mr Putin during the visit planned for 19 October - a working meeting on Syria, according to the sources.

French president calls for an 'Islam of France'

Addressing the debate surrounding Islam following a summer of terror attacks and burkini bans, he stressed that French secularism was not at odds with the religion.

"Nothing in the idea of secularism is opposed to the practice of Islam in France, as long -- and that is the vital point -- as it complies with the law," Hollande said in Paris, stressing that secularism was "not a religion of the state that stands against all other religions."

"What we need to succeed in together is the creation of an Islam of France," Hollande said.

France stronger after Euro adventure, says Varane

Les Bleus take on Italy in a friendly on Thursday before their World Cup qualifying campaign gets under way against Belarus next week, and Varane is expected to captain the side in the absence of injured goalkeeper Hugo Lloris.

The Real Madrid centre-back missed Euro 2016 due to a thigh injury and could only watch on as his countrymen fell short on home soil in the showpiece against Portugal, but he offered a positive assessment of Didier Deschamps' young squad ahead of their return to action in Bari.