2023-09-26 21:07:39
For the 500th match of the French women’s team since 1951, Hervé Renard’s “Olympics” rose to the occasion by defeating Austria (0-1) in Vienna this Tuesday evening. Ultra-dominant in the first period, the Blues, who won against Portugal on the first day of the League of Nations, found more response on the Austrian side after the break.
The fact remains that since the elimination in the World Cup against Australia (0-0, 7-6 on penalties), the Tricolores have been rebuilding their confidence step by step in the run-up to the Paris Olympics. next summer. “In the absence of being brilliant, you have to be efficient… This evening (Tuesday), I will say that we were effective,” declared the coach at the microphone of France Télévisions. We were under pressure from a team that is progressing. This group will still be difficult with Norway next month. Six points for a rally, it’s perfect…”
500 – The French women’s team is playing its 500th match in all competitions this evening in Austria (293 wins, 91 draws, 115 losses), more than 52 years after the first, against the Netherlands in April 1971 (4-0 ). Cap. #OUTSIDE pic.twitter.com/3QpPMwSrlw
— OptaJean (@OptaJean) September 26, 2023
It only took a handful of minutes for the Blues to set the tone of the game. France was already leading 1-0 in front of 10,000 spectators at Viola Park, even though the 5th minute had not been completed. From the right, Bacha sent a long free kick that Wendie Renard, escaping the Austrian marking, extended with her head into Zinsberger’s goal, without reaction on her line. Well helped by the opponent’s defensive naivety, the French captain (153 caps, including 58 with the armband) did not miss the opportunity to increase her goal capital to 36 for the French team.
This early goal had the effect of freeing the French, while the Austrians struggled to carry out a real offensive. More convincing than against Portugal on Friday, the Blues only sinned by imprecision. Receiving transmissions from Renard, then Diani, Le Sommer could have made the break, six meters in front of goal, but sent his head over (14th). Then, well served by Bacha on the left, Karchaoui missed the cross that Le Sommer was waiting for with delight (16th). In total, the French sent half a dozen shots at the opposing goal in the first period, and half of their attempts were on target. The only alarm, but a significant one, on Picaud’s goal was a close shot from Degen on the crossbar, following a free kick in added time of the first period (45th + 2).
After the break, the French were much less enterprising than during the first 45 minutes. The pressure increased significantly on the French goal, in particular on Dunst’s free kick which was rejected in disaster (85th). The end of the match was downright tense on the French side but ultimately turned out to be happy. Facing Austria, 16th nation in the FIFA rankings, France extended its invincibility, bringing its stats to 7 wins and 2 draws. For his part, Hervé Renard, whose 11th match on the Bleues bench, achieved an eighth victory – for two draws and a defeat.
Les Bleues meet in a month, with the first leg of a double Nations League clash against Norway, in Oslo on October 27 (7 p.m.), before returning to Reims on October 31 (9 p.m.) .
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