the French do not pass the German crash test in the semi-finals – Liberation

Too strong for the French. The Mannschaft, which had not yet conceded a goal before this semi-final of the competition disputed in England, won its ticket for the final of the Women’s Football Euro by overcoming the players of Corinne Deacon on Wednesday evening in Milton Keynes. If they scored twice (40th, 76th) through Wolfsburg striker Alexandra Popp, the Germans had to bow on an own goal from goalkeeper Frohms, after a shot from French Diani ( 45th) who had given hope to the Blue.

The start of the second period was to the advantage of the latter, but Popp, on receiving a center for a pitted header (76th), ended up burying the last hopes of the tricolor fifteen minutes from the end of the game. . The French, whose internal upheavals have agitated in recent weeks, will not win their first international title. As for the players of Martina Voss-Tecklenburg, they will face the English in the final on Sunday. The clash promises to be exciting between conquering Germans and unleashed Lionesses, carried by their supporters and their clear and flawless victory against the Swedes (4-0), Tuesday during the first semi-final.

Intensity peak

Les Bleues are falling from above and they must put their hopes on future tournaments: the 2023 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris and Euro 2025, which the French Football Federation would like to organize. Its president Noël Le Graët had set the “last square” as the objective to be achieved for coach Corinne Deacon, whose contract is coming to an end, and her word will necessarily be expected in the hours to come.

In a peak of intensity, hooked and tense, Wendie Renard’s partners suffered as rarely against the compact defense and the tough midfield of the Germans, fluid in transitions, skilful in deflections and dangerous on set pieces. Goalkeeper Pauline Peyraud-Magnin took shots and saved the day several times, notably on a superb flight after a direct free kick from Alexandra Popp (22nd). But couldn’t do anything against Popp twice.

The story is good for the 31-year-old center forward, absent in 2013 and 2017 through injury, and whose first Euro was still threatened after a serious knee injury in April 2021. The striker took advantage of the postponement of the one-year competition, due to the health crisis, to shine: she scored in every game of the English Euro. With it, Germany can dream of rising to the roof of Europe. The Frauen-Nationalmannschaft gave up their throne in 2017, eliminated in the quarterfinals after winning the previous six editions.