Thierry Henry has a lot of work ahead of the Paris Olympic tournament, and not just to convince Mbappé, Griezmann or Giroud to come and strengthen his team next summer.
Manhandled by the Ivory Coast U23 (non-qualified for the Olympics) in a friendly match in Châteauroux this Friday, the France Espoirs team won 3-2 thanks in particular to two goals from Rennes midfielder Désiré Doué.
The sky fell on the heads of the French Espoirs in the space of four minutes, at the very start of the second period, in the form of two Ivorian goals (47th and 49th) while Doué, an opportunist, had taken advantage of a disagreement in the opposing defense to open the scoring in the 38th minute.
With a clever inside foot, Abdoulaye Traoré, served by a no less clever backheel, equalizes for the Orange (1-1, 47th). Almost immediately afterwards, Nantes midfielder Mohamed Bamba received a pass near the penalty point and doubled the lead (1-2, 49th).
The Ivorians obtained several 3-1 balls, Coulibaly hitting the post (65th) and Bénie Traoré, placing his shot just next to Chevalier’s post (66th).
Fortunately for the Bleuets, the entry of Cherki in place of Wahi (67th) allowed the French to equalize. Cherki launches Odobert on the right side, for a goal between the legs of the opposing goalkeeper (2-2, 72nd).
And then, some spaces open up in the Ivorian defense in the final minutes. Odobert has a match point at the end of his foot, before Cherki, the detonator of this meeting, serves Gifted for the goal the French victory, with a left-footed cross shot in the area (3-2, 84th) after a remarkable control.
This match was marked by the injury exit of Parisian Bradley Barcola, who was injured in the 25th minute. This thwarted Thierry Henry’s plans. “I blame myself because I should have immediately gone back to a 4-3-1-2 and I waited too long. It’s my fault,” the coach declared at the microphone of the L’Equipe channel.
“We were dominated in the first half and we were able to raise the level in the second half,” notes Désiré Doué. The state of mind allowed us to get through it.”
Ryan Cherki, who does not always show his best face with Lyon, does not disappoint with the Espoirs. No doubt because of his special relationship with Thierry Henry. “I have his trust, he knows my qualities and my faults, he supports where I need to progress,” explains the Lyonnais. When I come in, I have the freedom to give what I can to the team, that makes the difference. »
The fact remains that this performance brings more doubts than certainties four months before the start of the Olympic Games. The Bleuets don’t have long to wait to try to improve. They meet the United States team at the Bonal stadium in Sochaux on Monday evening, their first opponent at the Olympics in Marseille on July 24.
