After their two defeats against Germany (2-1) and Sweden (3-0) in the last two preparation matches, the French women’s team faces Norway on Friday November 11 at La Nucia, near Alicante. (Spain). This Thursday, Corinne Deacon, the coach unveiled her list of 23.
She called two new players, Maëlle Garbino (Girondins de Bordeaux) and the Parisian Mathilde Bourdieu, author of a big start to the season (4 goals) with Paris FC. Absent from the last rally due to injuries, Sandie Toletti (Real Madrid), Clara Matéo (PSG) and Sakina Karchaoui (PSG) are making their comeback.
“We have two news, explains Deacon. I didn’t expect to integrate so many players so quickly. But the current injuries mean that we have players like Mathilde Bourdieu and Maëlle Garbino who have the opportunity to show themselves at the highest level. This is a November 3 list. What will it be for the World Cup? I do not know. Today, I also have to pay attention to injured players and bodies that are very tired. »
“I am happy to see Kheira Hamraoui again on a football field”
The coach also returned to the last two defeats. “We have to break the bad dynamic. It hadn’t happened to us for a while. We did not play on our true value during the last rally. The game against Sweden (0-3, October 11) hurt me a lot more than the game against Germany (1-2, October 7). In Sweden, we took a slap. We could have played for a long time without finding the solution because we didn’t have the capacity, neither physical nor mental. We spent it, we digested it. We must end this calendar year with a taste for victory. It is important for us and for the preparation of the World Cup. »
Finally, Corinne Deacon mentioned the case of the two PSG players, Sandy Baltimore and Kheira Hamraoui, who resumed with PSG, and who were not selected. “Sandy’s performance is not what we have seen lately. It’s a bad pass. It is a decision of the moment. Kheira played again, 15 minutes in the Champions League and 90 minutes last weekend. It is still little. She needs to get back to perfect physical condition, because we mustn’t forget that she didn’t play for 8-10 months, in any case too long. It needs to regain rhythm and performance. But I’m happy to see her back on a football field. You have to give him time. The door is not closed to anyone. »
