2024-09-02 04:09:30
A Marseillaise sung at the top of their lungs by many 11,000 spectators in the crowded Eiffel Tower stadium, the presentation of each star of the Tricolores by the singer who exploded the number of decibels that can be received for our ears, “break of ” Go Blues” which escaped from the supporters’ square and was perfectly matched with volleys of kicks on the floor of the stands. Then, suddenly, silence at the start of the France-China blind ball on Sunday evening at 8:30 p.m.
Field players, suffering from visual impairment, their eyes masked by the same opaque blind for reasons of inconsistency, must be able to hear the ball with the bells and instructions of the keeper (who sees), who trainer and assistant. behind the opposition goal. Noise is prohibited during practices but absolutely not during pauses in the game (before a corner or after a goal kick, for example) and during end times. It was during these moments that the Blues were able to gauge the extent to which everyone was behind them. Undoubtedly thanks to this support, also thanks to their goalkeeper who increased the number of saves, they beat China 1-0.
The silence is disturbed by the illumination of the Eiffel Tower
A real performance against a great blind soccer country, world vice-champion in 2023 in Birmingham and fourth in the Paralympic Games in Rio and Tokyo.
After a team’s start to the game marked by many Chinese offensives and the amazing saves of the French goalkeeper Alessandro Bartalomucci, the Blues, the reigning European champions, corrected the situation, creating some good chances under the leadership of the captain them and number 10 Frédéric. Villeroux, 41 years old but legs that look like he is twenty years old. At 9 p.m. sharp, the silence was slightly disturbed for two seconds by the amazing power connected to the lighting of the great neighbor of the arena, the Iron Lady.
Khalifa Youme scored the goal. LP / Olivier Arandel The Parisian
At half-time, the tricolor flags were still waved without restriction to the sound of Plastic Bertrand’s hit “ça plane pour moi” before the gradual return to silence to the comforting melody of Björk “It’s very quiet” and its closing. effective “shhhh”s.
A big noise returned three minutes after the start of the second half with goal number 9 Khalifa Youmé, 41, who plays for FC Cécifoot de Précy-sur-Oise (Oise). The coach in great form almost did it again a few minutes later with a free kick. The five Frenchmen then resisted the opposition’s attacks, aided, at each break, by the “thief!” » shouted constantly from the stands. Twenty-eight seconds before the end of the match, after a mistake by Hakim Arezki was punished with a red card, Ruiming Zhu missed his penalty… to everyone’s delight! At the final whistle, these talented Frenchmen jumped for joy and then gathered in a circle to enjoy, among themselves, these moments of grace before bowing to address their loved ones.
“This is just the beginning”
In the interview area, the performer Khalifa Youmé thanked the “great audience from the beginning to the end”, who did not play in front of “many people”. “We did what we had to do. This is just the beginning. The ambition is to be on the podium. If we can go as far as winning gold, that’s even better,” he enthused.
The next meeting for these Blues is on fire on Monday evening at 8:30 pm against the giants of Brazil, often titled since the arrival of blind football in the Paralympic Games in 2004. In the “group of death” of the countries four (which also includes Turkey). ), only the first two qualify for the semi-finals. The French team will receive one of their captains, Hakim Arezki who, barring going, will be suspended due to his red card. “We will do the work for him”, Khalifa Youmé positively.
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