It was an opportunity to send a message but the end of the match ruined everything… Facing the Americans whom they will meet in four months for their first match at the Olympic tournament (July 24, 9 p.m. in Marseille), the Bleuets of Thierry Henry showed a more attractive, more conquering and disciplined face than during the painful victory acquired three days earlier against Ivory Coast (3-2) but they paid dearly for the terrible last minutes, leaving the United States United come back to two everywhere even though they had the match in hand.
We are not going to say that we were disappointed with the face displayed by the United States, which we present as a formidable outsider in group A, but France seemed superior in many areas, this Monday in Montbéliard . Thierry Henry had however decided to make 8 changes in his starting eleven compared to the last match at Châteauroux, keeping only Diakité, Manu Koné (captain) and Akliouche among the starters.
A predictable turnover which did not disturb a group without the packages of Barcola (injured), Yoro and Millot (ill). Apart from a sluggish first 10 minutes, Restes working to repel a header from Aaronson (8th), and a more sluggish start to the 2nd period, the Bleuets in their 4-3-1-2 system, with Cherki in the role of leader, had until then managed to respond to the athletic impact of an opponent who did not have his strengths on the ball.
Goals from Kalimuendo and Diouf
The opening score came from a penalty converted by Kalimuendo (1-0, 27th), rewarded for his good activity after seeing Schulte reject his first attempt (21st). By being more incisive, he could even have scored a double (77th). Lensois Diouf also made the opposing defense break out in a cold sweat by sending a powerful shot onto the post (24th) before doubling the lead with a very nice strike from the left (2-0, 77th). It was one of the satisfactions in the middle where Koné, hit in the left leg, had to leave his partners at the hour mark.
The reduction of Yow’s score in a leaden silence (2-1, 86th) should have been only a simple alert, but Cowell wrecked the party by putting a hole in the Remains cage with a deflected shot (2-2 , 89th). Which will not please the coach who regularly reminds us of the importance of being serious until the end.
“In my opinion, the teams will have changed when we meet again at the Olympic Games,” confided Thierry Henry before the meeting. We suspect it, but the requirement must be the same. And that’s the kind of reminder that should matter. To enrich the experience and prevent this from happening again in a cleaver match.
