Japan Edges France 3-2 in Women's Olympic Hockey; France's Tournament Hopes Dim

On a February evening in Milan, Japan's women's hockey team outlasted France 3-2, their third-period resolve converting sustained pressure into a tournament foothold. For France, a team that has twice finished tenth at the world stage, the loss deepens a familiar struggle — not merely to win, but to prove belonging at the highest level. Sport, at its most honest, reveals where a program truly stands, and France now faces a single game that may define their entire Olympic journey.