This World Cup continues to mislead forecasters. After Brazil’s elimination, Germany, two-time world champions, advances to the first round after a 1-1 draw against South Korea on Thursday 3 August. This has never happened to one of the strongest nations in women’s football. And while everyone was waiting for the 16th round knockout matchup between the Germans and the Blues, first in Group F, Morocco, the newcomers at this level will finally face the Triclores on Tuesday 8 August in Adelaide (Australia).
This is a real feat for the Moroccans (72are in the FIFA rankings and coached the former FC Nantes international Reynald Pedrosa) who beat the Colombians 1-0. The goal in this historic qualification was scored by Franco-Moroccan Annissa Lamari, a Guingamp player born in Saint-Cloud, in O-de -Sep.
On Wednesday, after a 6-3 victory against Panama, the Blues imagined they would rather play Colombia or Germany. But in view of this first round of the World Championship, where modest tackles competed with well-known tackles, they called for caution, regardless of the next opponent.
“We want to go all the way”
“Regardless of the team ahead, it will be a high level. You just have to give him your all. If we have to leave the heart on the field, we will., says defender Elisa De Almeida. Lyonnaise Selma Bacha insists on the unpredictability of this tournament: “At this World Cup, everyone can beat everyone. We saw this with Jamaica, which knocked out Brazil. »
Before the decisive matches of this Thursday, French midfielder Sandy Toletti said he had no “no preference for the opponent” for the next 8e final. “We wanted to finish first in our group and we want to go all the way. »
Arriving in Adelaide early in the day, the French rested on Thursday. And they did not plan to watch two meetings that were supposed to decide their future opponent. “We have dinner scheduled outside the hotel, we may have games in the background, said Sandy Toletti a few hours before the liquidation of Germany. Tomorrow we will start analyzing the team we will face. »
The Real Madrid player tries not to be overconfident. The mood that will definitely not change after receiving the Moroccan qualification: “What happened to us during the group stage (draw with Jamaica and 3 goals against Panama) should show us that all matches will be difficult. it’s 8e The final will be an ax match, where the slightest mistake can be costly. »
Against the Moroccans, whom the French know very well, since eight players have dual French-Moroccan citizenship (13 out of 23 are binational), we will have to remain serious and avoid the blunders committed against Panama. “We will need to defend well because the level will go up. We must not make such mistakes again.”Elisa De Almeida warns.
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This match between France and Morocco will also be the women’s version of the two countries’ confrontation in the semi-finals of the World Cup in Qatar in December 2022. Didier Deschamps’ Blues then won 2-0.
Our selection of articles on the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand
- Crescendo Cadidiatou Diani, the author of the first French hat-trick at the World Cup
- The French team, which claims the first place in its group, will not make any calculations against Panama.
- The French team, guided by their “two foxes”, finds a way to success against Brazil
- Amel Majri and Selma Bacha, Lyons left in the service of Blue.
- Before the decisive match Les Bleues against Brazil, Wendy Renard’s shin gets everyone’s attention.
- For Haiti: First World Cup thanks to a generation born in ruins
- Les Bleues and the temptation of a stranger
- Ineffective and sometimes hectic, the Blues miss their debut against the Jamaicans.
- Herve Renard, Coach Blue “totally immersed in this business”
- Record attendance and wins for host nations New Zealand and Australia.
- The French team attacks the World Cup in search of “click” finally win