On Day 4, the Women's World Cup came to Moncton, where the interest is a bit subdued. It was a grey day of low-stacked clouds, wind and threatening rain. Like you'd find in England in June. And, inevitably, it started raining the minute the ball was kicked off.
England playing France was the first and glamorous fixture. But France is the glamorous team, not England.
In qualifying, France had 10 wins out of 10, 54 goals scored and only three conceded. Serious talent there.
Before the 2011 World Cup, in which France reached the semi-finals, three French players posed nude for a magazine to generate interest, not in their bodies, but in women's soccer. They asked, "Should we go that far for you to pay attention to us?"
They sure get attention now. Feared and admired is France. So England set out to stifle France from the get-go, in dread of midfielder Louisa Nécib and striker Gaëtane Thiney controlling the game with ease. The result was a ragged, dreary game in the rain.
This was heart versus art, as it's so often when England plays France, in men's or women's soccer. Stout hearts against sophisticated technique, with a bit of French spite and anger at the end to spice it up.
France won 1-0, superior in every way. There was a casual air to this victory, as if France wasn't much interested in engaging with buffoons.
England sat deep, with lone striker Eniola Aluko in isolation up front.
Their single chance of a goal in the first half came when Katie Chapman tried a shot, and that looked like a chance largely because France keeper Sarah Bouhaddi was caught out of goal. The point was to do what China did playing Canada in the opener – frustrate and demoralize.
Frantic defending came to nothing though after 30 minutes when Eugénie Le Sommer declined to be crowded off the ball in the England penalty area, deftly created space for herself and scored with a wicked, rising shot.
In the second half, England continued to rely on huff-and-puff power, but France never looked like losing. If anything, they looked bored.
Bored frustration may have inspired Camille Abily to unleash a nasty elbow jab at Laura Bassett in the closing minutes.
The blow left Bassett with a black eye and Abily can count herself lucky that the referee didn't see it.
Those in attendance – the announced crowd was 11,686 – can count themselves unlucky with the weather and that this match came first.
Postgame, England manager Mark Sampson made much of the incident. Asked if Abily should have been booked or given a red card, he snorted, "If you look at Laura Bassett now, I think that'll answer your question. We're disappointed with that. We were told before the tournament that we'd be protected if we abided within the rules, and I think we've been let down by that one and so has Laura Bassett."
Most of Sampson's fiery talk was clearly to pump up his team for the next match, against Mexico here in Moncton on Saturday. And to drum up public interest back in England. He vowed that England will "find more rhythm" against Mexico.
Actually, it's Mexico that already has the rhythm. And Colombia, England's other opponent. In the day's second match, Mexico drew 1-1 with the Colombians. The game had considerably more fluidity and entertainment value than France's pedestrian victory over England. Both teams played with the intention of scoring. Stifling the opposition didn't enter into it. Mexico's advantage was athleticism and Colombia answered with ambition.
The Colombians were unbeaten in qualification, like France, but played against much lesser opposition. They are energetic, though, and skilled, if not in the same class as France. They can beat England. Anybody can. If the France-England match was heart versus art, the second game was all heartfelt vigour. A welcome sight in the Moncton rain.
On Day 4 of the Women's World Cup in this city, we saw women's soccer at its best and dreariest. Are the locals paying attention? Some of them, anyway. In a subdued way.
Although they might not come back to watch England and can't be blamed for that.