This Saturday, around 12 p.m. (Paris time, live on France 2) at the Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane, the French team will approach their shock against Brazil with a mind very far from their initial objective. Namely to reach the last four of this Women’s World Cup, to do better than four years ago, when the Blue, then led by Corinne Deacon, had taken the door against the future American champions (1-2) in a Parc des Princes with an atmosphere that was initially overheated, then quickly cooled. Like all the followers of this team as talented as they are incapable of sublimating themselves to achieve the feat that would allow them, finally, to highlight this feminine round ball which is slow to really take off in France.
But of glory, therefore, there will be little question this Saturday. This duel against the Brazilian legend Marta and the young prodigy Ary Borges, author of a hat-trick for his first match in a World Cup five days ago against Panama (4-0), will be more a story of survival for the Blue, unable to break the Jamaican lock last Sunday (0-0). Indeed, a defeat against the South Americans, if it were accompanied at the same time by a success for Jamaica against Panama, would put France on the edge of a bottomless pit. Very close to elimination from the group stage which would be a sad first in its history in the World Cup, and a disaster for its image and that of a Hervé Renard who arrived as the savior of the nation a few months ago. At the relay of a Corinne Deacon accused of all evils, without it being possible to determine what was the fault of the coach and the own responsibility of the players.
For this World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, everything has been put in place to promote their performance. A new coach crowned with a number of great successes among men, more resources – both financial and human and material -, the Blues have everything to succeed. Except, obviously, luck in terms of injuries. Already deprived before the competition of assets as important as Marie-Antoinette Katoto, Delphine Cascarino or even Amandine Henry, Hervé Renard did not manage to get rid of the black cat which pursued him to Australia, since Selma Bacha, during the last friendly match before the start of the competition, then Wendie Renard both had to go through the infirmary. And if the first is restored to face Brazil, the mystery remained whole Friday concerning the captain, yet essential to solidify the hexagonal defensive block.
Even if against the Jamaicans, more than its rearguard, it is especially in attack that France failed in the great widths. Hence this strong call from Hervé Renard: “There is no stress to be had. A World Cup, it is lived intensely. These are unforgettable moments, which can be fantastic, so you have to free yourself. Experienced players need to lead others in their wake. This match is the perfect opportunity. This is a high level test. It’s up to us to be ourselves.” And to relaunch fully in this World Cup, Les Bleues can rely on this statistic, to be maintained: in eleven confrontations with the Auriverde team, France has never lost, and it remains on four consecutive victories, the most significant in the round of 16 of the last World Cup (2-1 after extra time). “Yes, there are the statistics. But today the noose is tightening, and we know very well that we will face a combative team on the ground, warns defender Sakina Karchaoui. We will have to expect everything, but we must not forget the qualities we also have. We are very confident, we should not panic either. A real serenity, or only a façade? Answer this Saturday in Brisbane.
