France defeated Argentina 3-2 on penalties under the lights of the Eiffel Tower for the gold medal in blind football on the penultimate day of the Paralympic Games.
Frederic Villeroux scored the decisive spot kick to get the partisan home fans’ party underway after the teams drew 1-1 in normal time.
“It felt like the script of a film,” said Villeroux, who also made the breakthrough in the 12th minute when he rifled a shot inside the left post.
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Argentine star forward Maximiliano Espinillo replied from close range straight away after the French defenders failed to clear the ball.
“You have to take the good and accept the bad, but we are still very proud,” Espinillo said.
France is the first team other than Brazil to win blind football at a Paralympics.
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“Look at that, with the Eiffel Tower in the background,” Australian great Heath Francis said on Stan Sport’s Paralympics Daily.
“France didn’t get it done in the World Cup, but they did get it done here at the at the Olympics. What a magic moment and it was an incredible game as well. There was so much tension.
“There was a bit of argy bargy. The Argentinians were pushing very, very hard. Amazing scenes there under the lights of the Eiffel Tower.
“At that time in the evening, it was just magical. The tension that builds up is just incredible.”
The huge crowd was completely quiet when the ball was in play so the players could hear their guides’ instructions.
“I mean, what other sport would do that at that level, with that many people? It’s incredible,” wheelchair tennis legend David Hall said.
Brazil won all five previous golds since blind football was first played at the 2004 Athens Games.
The five-time defending champions, who had never lost a match before Thursday’s penalty loss to Argentina in the semi-finals, were consoled by the bronze medal after a 1-0 win over Colombia thanks to a fierce strike from Jefinho in the 24th minute.
Known as the ‘Paralympic Pele’ because of his speed and skill, Jefinho scored in off the left post despite facing two defenders, setting off a roar of appreciation around the Eiffel Tower Stadium.
“Today we left all disappointments behind and were able to win,” Jefinho said.
Blind football is an adaptation of soccer for teams of five players with an audible ball of rattles.
The four outfield players must be classified as completely blind, while the goalkeeper is sighted and instructs his teammates where to go.
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A guide behind the opposition goal also instructs the attacking players.
Though the four outfield Argentine players couldn’t have seen the sea of French flags around the stadium, they would have heard the fevered rendition of the French anthem around them, and chants of ‘Allez les Bleus’ from the home crowd.
As fulltime approached, the supporters started a boisterous Mexican wave during a break in play.
It continued silently when play resumed – so the players would not be disturbed.
Meanwhile, Jake Williams scored 26 points as the United States men won the wheelchair basketball gold by beating Britain 73-69.
That made it three from three for the US in Games basketball after the men and women won thrilling finals against France at the Olympics last month, also at Bercy Arena.
Fans at Bercy are used to hearing ‘The Star-Spangled Banner’ and they will listen to it again if the women’s team wins its final against the Netherlands on Monday (AEST).
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