22 years later, it was time. This Saturday, the French U17 team failed on penalties in the final of the U17 World Cup against Germany (2-2, 4 tab 3). After finishing first in their group and eliminating Senegal (0-0, 5 tab 3), Uzbekistan (1-0) and Mali (2-1), the French stopped at the last step.
Despite a “comeback” after being down 2-0, Jean-Luc Vannuchi’s players came up against a solid German team which won the competition for the first time, after having already won the European Championship this summer… on penalties on goal against France in the final.
Jostled by a very enterprising German team, the Bleuets scared themselves from the start of the match with a goal denied to Brunner on a header from Moerstedt, finally flagged in an offside position (10th).
After a quarter of an hour, Jean-Luc Vannuchi’s players struggled to build against the Germans in place and made a series of technical errors. We had to wait until the twentieth minute to see the first strike on the tricolor side, the Monegasque Saïmon Bouabré provoked on the left, transplanted into the axis and unleashed a right-footed strike which headed towards the goal. It is repelled by the German goalkeeper (22nd).
Barely a minute later, French full-back Aymen Sadi mowed down Darvich in the area after a strike that was not very academically repelled by Paul Argney. After consulting the VAR, the referee of the match whistles a penalty, and it is transformed by Dortmund striker Paris Brunner, without trembling (1-0, 28th). France is very logically led.
At the end of the first period, the France team wakes up and takes two dangerous corners in a row. The first is shot directly by Ismail Bouneb and boxed by Heide at the far post, and the second is taken by Titi alone at the penalty point, the ball flies into the air (42nd). The Bleuets are definitely not there in this first half.
At the start of the second half, the Bleuets returned from the locker room with more desire, but the tricolor enthusiasm was quickly calmed by the German captain Noah Darvich who came to finish like a fox at the far post on a missed shot by Brunner (2 -0, 51st).
But that was without taking into account the talent of Saïmon Bouabré who reduced the gap from the kick-off with a precise right-footed shot (2-1, 52nd)! Galvanized by this reduction in the score, the Bleuets were not far from equalizing a few minutes later with a helmet hit from Titi, already a header against Mali, pushed back by the German goalkeeper (56th).
Then comes what we think is the turning point of the match. As against Mali, France found itself in numerical superiority following the expulsion of Winners Osawe for a second yellow card for a big foul on Bouneb (69th).
Germany seems to be losing its footing, and an attack and defense is logically put in place for the last fifteen minutes. In the 85th minute, Gomis and Bouneb combine on the right side, the first strong cross in front of goal for Mathis Amougou who finishes from close range (2-2, 85th)!
As during a certain 2022 World Cup final in Qatar, France came back! After a magnificent save by Le Havre goalkeeper Paul Argney in front of Brunner (90 + 1) and yet another French highlight, the referee whistles the end of the match. Time for penalties!
After a first parade from Paul Argney, the French goalkeeper, the Bleuets believe in it more than ever. But Sangui and especially Meupiyou and Gomis miss their attempt. After a final counterattack for Paul Argney, the Nationalmannschaft won the final (2-2, 4 tab 3).
Germany are world champions for the first time in their history. The disenchantment between France and penalties continues…
