Tokyo 2020 - Olympic men's football - As it happened: France v South Africa

It's over! France have won a breathless match 4-3 in Saitama. What a joy that was to witness.

What a miss! Singh fires a low cross into the six yard box, and the completely unmarked Fleurs skies his shot over the bar! My oh my.

They've surely won it! Gignac turns provider, overlapping down the left and firing a cross into the area. Savanier bundles it under control, and rifles a low drive into the bottom corner from 12 yards out!

Two more corners for France, as we move into five additional minutes, miniumum.

Is there a winner in this? France are pushing hard, and win a corner on the left.

It's a hat-trick for Gignac! He absolutely thumps it into the top left corner, and we're all square!

It's a penalty! A deflected cross goes through to Nordin in the area. Williams brings him down, is booked, and France have a chance to level for the third time today!

Can South Africa hold it this time? If so, France are out.

Mukumela and Monyane replace Mokoena and Frosler for South Africa.

Stunner! South Africa get the ball forwards and it breaks to Mokoena just on the left of the French area. He opens up his body and plants a thumping curler right into the top corner to regain the lead for South Africa.

This is ragged now, and wonderfully entertaining as it opens up at both ends. Beke Beke almost breaks through the South African defence but Williams flies out to gather the ball at his feet.

This is superb from France. A slide rule ball releases Michelin into the right of the South African area. Michelin stands up his cross to the centre of the six yard box where Gignac thumps his header past Williams to equalise.

Mosele replaces Kodisang for South Africa.

Cele takes a free kick from the left for South Africa, but it's straight into the mits of Bernadoni.

This is a beauty for South Africa. Kodisang jinks into space on the right wing, and crosses a lovely low ball to the corner of the six yard box. Makgopa gets across his man and volleys the ball emphatically past Bernadoni at the near post!

Le fee has been lively since he came on, and wins a corner for France.

Michelin gets in crossing space again on the right, but again it's straight into the hands of Williams.

Savanier is booked from bringing down Mahlatsi. France then make two changes, Nordin and Beka Beka replacing Tousart and Thauvin.

A misguided cross falls to Le Fee on the edge of the box, but under pressure he can only sky his shot high and wide of goal.

A change for South Africa, as Mahlatsi replaces Ngcobo.

Mbuku departs for France, replaced by Enzo Le Fee.

That's the way to hit back. France have their tails up now, and Mbuku fires a low daisy cutter from distance straight at Williams.

France are level straight away! Muani advances to the byline on the left for France. He cuts it back to the edge of the six-yard box, where Gignac coolly guides a low shot into the bottom corner.

That's a staggering error from the French. If they don't rectify it in the next 35 minutes, they're out.

South Africa take the lead! A quick free kick out to the left should be routinely handled by Michelin. There's confusion with Bernadoni though, who rushes out to gather, and the unaware Michelin turns back inside his own area with the ball. Kodisang simply strolls in to pinch the ball from him, and roll it into an empty net with Bernadoni stranded! What a disaster for France.

Mbuku tries to take the scenic route around Mohamme on the left, but is muscled out of it.

Thauvin unloads from distance, a good 30 yards out. It's fierce, but it's straight at Williams.

A half-chance for Gignac as a cross breaks to him on the edge of the area, but he can only guide a weak curler into the hands of Williams.

Makgopa finds some room, 25 yards from goal. He's got options left and right but opts to shoot, and it sails high over the bar.

Peep! We're underway again in Saitama.

It's goalless, but it's been good fare. We'll be back with you shortly for the second half.

Kodisang launches an ambitious effort to the back post, from right on the left corner of the area, and it's gathered comfortably by Bernadoni.

Mbuku dances nicely into a crossing position in the inside right channel, but again it's a poor cross that goes straight to Williams.

Singh takes it for South Africa. He sends Bernadoni definitively the wrong way, but lifts his shot onto the bar and over!

It's a penalty to South Africa! Tousart brings down Makgopa with a clumsy challenge, and it's a chance for South Africa to take the lead!

More good stuff from Thauvin, until he lofts his cross straight into the hands of Williams.

Thauvin gets Gignac away in the inside left channel. Gignac advances into the area, looking to open up on to his left foot and shoot, but he stumbles into a tackle and South Africa clear.

Thauvin whips a ball in from the left. Kolo Muani is all alone at the back post, where he volleys tamely into the ground and Williams gathers. As it happens, he was offside.

France get a free kick on the right edge of the South African area. Gignac takes it, but can only whip it straight into the hands of Williams in the centre of the goal.

It's a lively one now! Thauvin reverses a ball into the centre of the South African box, where Gignac saunters through to round Williams and tap home. He's offside though, just, and it's chalked.

South Africa are knocking here. Singh works his way into space 25 yards out and shoots, but it's a couple of yards wide.

Two more chances! Singh picks the ball up 30 yards from goal, and glides past two into the area. It's a gorgeous run, but Bernadoni pulls off an excellent save as Singh opens up and aims for the far corner. South Africa get it back, and an intricate move finds Kodisang in shooting space on the left of the area; he miscues his shot completely and France clear.

Makgopa clatters the post! A simple ball cuts through the French back four and Makgopa thunders it first time from the edge. Bernadoni is rooted, but the ball wallops the post and bounces back out to no one.

Under severe pressure from Gignac, Williams exhibitssome nimble footwork to effortlessly pass the ball out of danger.

Nkounkou goes into the book now after dumping Singh over in midfield.

Michelin piles forwards down the right again for France, crossing dangerously into the box where it's cleared at the back post.

Mokoena is booked for South Africa, after clattering Michelin.

A chance for South Africa. They win a free kick 25 yards from goal, which Singh lines up; he whips a fizzing drive over the wall and it's destined for the top corner, but Bernadoni pulls off an excellent one-handed save to turn it over the bar for a corner!

Michelin lofts a ball to the back post. There's the potential for a van Basten-esque volley from Gignac, but he miskicks it meekly and sends it well wide of the near post.

France win another corner, taken by Savanier, and again South Africa clear.

After a brief spell of South African possession France take charge again. A long ball to the left almost gets Mbuku away, but he's muscled out of it by Frosler.

Progress for Michelin down the right, overlapping into a crossing position, and he wins a corner. It's chipped to Thauvin on the edge of the area, and his piercing volley deflects a yard wide of the far post.

It's another look for France after they win a free kick in the middle of South Africa's half. Savanier launches his shot from fully 35 yards out, getting a vicious up an down dip on the ball, but it's straight at Williams who gathers easily.

Gignac has the first shot in anger. He chests down a long ball on the edge of the area, before slashing the bouncing ball hopelessly high and wide of goal.

Our Peruvian referee Kevin Ortega gives it the shrill blast of the whistle, and we're off!

The teams enter the deserted stadium to the blaring sound of Seven Nation Army by the White Stripes. We're into the anthems, and we'll be underway shortly.

A quick reminder of why France are in the muck; on Thursday they were given this thorough pasting by Mexico:

It’s been a tough time for the South African team so far in Tokyo. After three positive COVID-19 tests last week that forced their squad to isolate and miss crucial training sessions, they somewhat understandably lost their opening match to hosts Japan on Thursday. Their coach, David Notoane, was not impressed at how his players were treated.

‘One thing that I think one has to address is the issue of stigmatisation,’ he said. ‘Often, when people come across us, you see people running away. I think that’s a little disrespectful.’

France pretty much invented the structure of modern international football as we know it; the European Cup, the World Cup, the European Championship and the Ballon d’Or are just four of their gifts to the world. When Pierre de Coubertin revived the Olympics in 1896, he also laid the ground for the Olympic football tournament, which first took place four years later. France bagged a silver on that occasion, and only Italy, USA and Brazil have appeared in the men’s competition on more occasions.

They’ve won it too, y’know; back in 1984, just after the Carre Magique sorted out the European Championship in Paris, the French Olympic team popped over to Los Angeles and came back with the gold medals.

There are three changes for France from their opening game, as Randal Kolo Muani and Nathanael Mbuku come in to the front three while Everton’s Niels Nkounkou comes in to bolster the back four.

For South Africa, Nkosingiphile Ngcobo and Kobamelo Kodisang and Katlego Mohamme get their first Olympic starts today.

Welcome to live coverage of France versus South Africa in Group A of the men’s football tournament at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

We’re only on day two of the Olympics, but it could be effectively over for one of these teams in a couple of hours. A draw would keep both France and South Africa in with a chance of qualifying for the quarter-finals but a defeat for either would mean that, bar the final, box-ticking exercise of the last group game, their Tokyo 2020 is done as a competitive concern.

Plenty to play for then, let’s get it popping. Teams from the Saitama Stadium will follow shortly.