A roller coaster to find the world tops. With the victory over Slovenia (1-0) in Le Mans (Sarthe), Tuesday, April 12, the eighth success in as many matches in the qualifying phase for the 2023 World Cup, the French women’s football team is guaranteed to finish at the top of its group. Les Bleues will therefore go to the World Cup, which will be played in Australia and New Zealand.
This will allow the French to offer themselves a comfortable return to school in September, with two final group meetings with no commitment against Estonia and Greece. But above all, in the shorter term, they will be able to fully devote themselves to preparing for the European Championship in England, which starts on July 10 with a game against Italy in the group stage.
The Habs only needed a draw to qualify. But Corinne Deacon did not want to settle for the minimal service. “A draw is not enough for us. We are coming for the win. We have a little personal revenge compared to the first leg against a team that got us into trouble.she said at a press conference the day before the game.
However, the French women had won on 21 September 2021 in the small town of Murska Sobota, without shining in the match (2-3), with a decisive goal in the last minute from Amel Majri.
Paid Tactical Picks
Corinne Deacon has made six changes since their last meeting against Wales (1-2 win on April 8). The midfield trident has been redesigned along with much of the attacking trio. Usually assisted by her Paris-Saint-Germain (PSG) teammate Kadidiatou Diani, Marie-Antoinette Katoto saw Delphine Cascarino and Sandy Baltimore support her on the wings on the attack, who are usually poised to complete the triptych on the front posts .
Placed in her favorite position on the right, Delphine Cascarino showed signs of nervousness at first. But she unlocked the game by scoring the only goal of the game (47and) following a campaign launched by Sandy Baltimore. A redemption for the 10,103 spectators who were present at Le Mans, because the Slovenians caused some hassle.
“We have to raise our level of play in every game. We knew Slovenia was not easy to play and they controlled us well in the first half.”commented Delphine Cascarino after the meeting.
With a disciplined five-player defense and superb counter-attacking skills, the visitors’ clever play plan nearly cost Les Bleues the opener. Fortunately, Pauline Peyraud-Magnin was able to stay vigilant on captain Mateja Zver’s lobed shot (9and), before the assistant referee raised his flag to signal offside on Sara Agrez’s winning header from the next corner.
Two upcoming friendlies
If Eve Perisset and Delphine Cascarino said there was no European Championship after the win, the big continental encounter will occupy an ever-greater place in players’ minds in the coming days.
Now that the French have been relieved of the weight of qualifying for the next World Cup, they can quietly approach their seventh European final stage. “We have the ambition to take the cup on July 31st”assured Corinne Deacon after the meeting.
For the voter, “The difficulty will be to stay efficient without getting injured, it will be a psychologically difficult period for the players. It is up to me and my staff to ask themselves the right questions in preparation for this Euro.† If no date has been communicated on the final list of those selected, two friendly encounters are expected before the start of hostilities.
If the group opponents (Italy, Belgium, Iceland) seem affordable for the 3and country in the FIFA rankings, the latest successes achieved in pain invite caution. “This kind of opposition prepares us for future deadlines. We know that in the European Championship anything is possible, there are no small teams and no favourites, it’s up to us to handle it.tempers Delphine Cascarino.
No surprises expected
However, some lights are green. The flawless performance in February’s Tournoi de France against leading nations (Brazil, Netherlands) and the ability to win adversity against selections with less flashy names prove that France now has several strings on its bow.
“We see things happening. When some players struggle, others take over. A real collective is being created and we will have time to prepare for the euro. We have guarantees, even if there are always things to work on in the game. develops the coach, now responsible for assembling the most competitive team possible.
She assures her that there are few surprises to be expected, even though in the past she has sometimes surprised observers with certain choices. This was the case during the 2019 World Cup, when she was taken from Marie-Antoinette Katoto – then top scorer in the championship with PSG – or when she recalled Kheira Hamraoui in early February after three years of absence: three months. an attack that led to the arrest of her PSG team-mate Aminata Diallo, dividing the Paris dressing room and causing a stir at the Tournoi de France squad.
The last word for Corinne Deacon: “This list will not be far from the choices made in recent times. No [joueuse] no points lost during this meeting. †
