2023-08-12 12:27:29
The France team was eliminated by Australia in the quarter-finals of the World Cup by Australia this Saturday August 12. A defeat on penalties, at the end of a goalless match, which sounds like a failure for the players of Hervé Renard who were aiming for the semi-finals of the competition.
Published on: 08/12/2023 – 12:27 Modified on: 08/12/2023 – 12:31
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Three long hours of work, sometimes suffering, also hope and in the end, it was Australia who qualified against France for a World Cup semi-final at home (0-0 , 7-6 at tab). Hervé Renard, who arrived at the head of this French women’s team to finally hope to reach the semi-finals for the first time since 2011, came across an Australian team which outwitted its Bleues, with the help of 50,000 supporters at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane.
A defeat to the taste of disillusion, at the end of a goalless match, during which the two selections alternated phases of domination. Even if the French highlights seemed due to a technical mastery, while the Australians benefited a lot from disagreements in the defensive sector of the tricolors.
The stick to get (almost) beaten
After a controlled start to the game, marked by a few French situations, starting with the overly crossed strike from Kadidiatou Diani (8th) who often took advantage of the slowness of the central hinge of the Matildas, the Blues turned their cheeks.
Pauline Peyraud-Magnin and her defenders first. Between the misunderstandings with Sakina Karchaoui, one of which forced Elisa De Almeida to make a miracle save on her line (41st), a bad recovery which offered a golden opportunity missed by Fowler (50th) and several very hazardous aerial exits, the Door match could have turned into a nightmare. She still remained solid on her line (57th, 60th).
Substitutes who changed the fate of the match
Les Bleues could have been shaken by Hervé Renard, in a black anger at the second period delivered by his players. It was finally the entry of Vicki Becho (64th) who sounded the French alarm clock. The Lyonnaise brought depth on the right side and multiplied the very dangerous crosses before the referee sent the two selections into extra time.
An extra half hour that the Lyon striker used to bring numbers into the area and help her own bring danger to the opposing goal again. She herself tried her luck (108th, 120th+1) and was close to taking back a hot ball from Grace Geyoro just in front of the goal (109th).
Not enough to take the lead before the very end of the game and the penalty shootout. Session for which Hervé Renard chose to bring in a new goalkeeper, Solène Durand, excellent in the field, and Eve Perisset, sure-footed. Penalties which presented all that the exercise can offer: a re-entrant bar from Karchaoui, two decisive Australian penalties missed (a post and a save), the intervention of the VAR…
Finally, it was the shots on goal from Perisset stopped by Mackenzie Arnold and from Bechot, who failed on the post, which cost France dearly. And which allow Australia to win the first semi-final in its history.
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