At the end of the suspense and the penalty shootout, Australia eliminated France to qualify for the semi-finals of the 2023 World Cup. The Matildas will face the winner of England – Colombia.
Published on: 08/12/2023 – 12:02Modified on: 08/12/2023 – 12:41
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After an endless penalty shootout with 10 shooters on each side, Australia snatched their qualification for the first semi-final in their history (0-0, tab 7-6). For the third consecutive edition, the Bleues stop at the quarterfinals stage, after having suffered for a long time during the match.
The revolution started in the spring by the charismatic coach of Les Bleues Hervé Renard, who came to take the reins of a women’s team against all odds and for the first time in his career, did not have the expected outcome.
A long penalty shootout
The mentality of the French, Renard’s main line of work and improvement, did not last after extra time, despite clear chances (107th, 110th, 120th) and an endless penalty shootout going as far as ‘on the tenth attempt.
Selma Bacha, newcomer Ève Perisset, Kenza Dali and young Vicki Becho missed their shot, unlike Wendie Renard, Eugénie Le Sommer, Grace Geyoro, Sakina Karchaoui and Maëlle Lakrar. The two saves by goalkeeper Solène Durand and the failed attempt by goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold were in vain.
The efforts of Bacha, the tenacity of Karchaoui, hit in the ankle during the match, and the serenity of Wendie Renard were not enough for the Bleues, who missed the boat in the first period, and were not helped by the inaccuracies and omissions by the Chilean referee Maria Carvajal.
The mission of the semi-final, twelve years after that of 2011 in Canada, was therefore not accomplished by the former coach of Saudi Arabia, who pulled substitute goalkeeper Solène Durand out of the hat at the end of extra time. , more expert in shots on goal than her counterpart Pauline Peyraud-Magnin. And it almost paid off.
Dominant Australia
The expected shock of this quarter-final, the fourth for the two nations in a World Cup, was not always there, especially in the first half, where the Australians seemed paralyzed by the event. They woke up late.
Les Bleues, technically above, did not know how to take advantage of it, in particular the young Maëlle Lakrar, physically inside because of her discomfort in one thigh, who missed the inevitable, alone in front of goal (12th), then stumbled on goalkeeper Arnold (32nd). Just before, Kadidiatou Diani, hooked by an Australian defender, had crossed her shot too much (8th).
After having largely dominated, the Bleues were scared, especially after an error between goalkeeper Pauline Peyraud-Magnin and Sakina Karchaoui (41st), but Elisa De Almeida, favorite to Ève Perisset, saved on the line
The Parisian defender made a complete performance and saved her own several times, when she did not necessarily seem at the level since the start of the World Cup.
The start of the second period was just as complicated for Les Bleues, sometimes messy. Barely entering the game (53rd), the Australian icon Sam Kerr made the difference on Maëlle Lakrar, serving Halyley Raso who attempted a pure shot saved by the French goalkeeper (56th), who was again on the trajectory (60th ).
The duo Le Sommer – Diani was less prominent than against Morocco or Brazil, in particular Diani, discreet and slow in the start of his calls.
Four years after the disappointment of the World Cup at home, with a quarter-final defeat against the Americans (2-1), and twelve months before a future high mass of women’s football in France with the Paris Olympics, the Bleues have once again faltered in the face of pressure and in the face of their destiny.
Reliving the bitter taste of an elimination must hurt the heads of the two executives, Le Sommer as well as captain Wendie Renard, who had retired in the spring to obtain changes in the coaching staff and surely disputed their last World Cup.
With AFP
