At the Parc des Princes
Any other result than a victory would have made a stain, even more on the eve of the battle of titans awaited by an entire country that the XV of France and the All Blacks will fight at the opening of the Rugby World Cup, but the Bleus du football had the merit of not missing their return to school on Thursday evening. And to live up to expectations despite a show that was not always successful in the furnace of the Parc des Princes. It must be said that Ireland when it comes to playing with their feet, is the complete opposite of the ogre that the XV of Clover can represent on a field. The band of Kylian Mbappé understood this well by easily validating a fifth victory (2-0) in as many games in the qualifying campaign for Euro 2024. With nine points ahead of the 2nd (Netherlands , 2 matches less) and the third (Greece, 1 disbursement match) in their pool, we do not see how the precious sesame for the European championship in Germany next summer could escape the vice-world champions .
Under the eyes of certain 1984 European champions (Tigana, Rocheteau, Giresse, Fernandez, Amoros, etc.) present in the aisles of the Park, but without Michel Platini who declined the invitation from the FFF, the French team remained in continuation of its latest releases. Solid, patient and aware that with her qualities and her colossal offensive potential she would manage to undermine the 53rd Fifa nation (between Ivory Coast and Saudi Arabia), who came to Paris not to take a dance. The Parisian public who came in large numbers, despite the heat and the major event expected at the Stade de France on Friday evening, still got their money’s worth. Already with the sumptuous opening score of Aurélien Tchouaméni (1-0, 19th), with a luminous strike curled outside the penalty area after a shift from captain Mbappé. And then during a second period that is much more pleasant to follow after a first act, let’s admit it, where the Blues will have purred more than anything else with a pace that is far too slow, transmissions that are too slow and an offensive presence that is unsuitable against the low block of the Irish. Even Deschamps in his half-time speech admitted that his troops were playing too sluggishly.
So the Blues, helped by the fatigue of the men in green, who played in white on Thursday evening, accelerated to finally ensure the destiny of a match that was waiting for them. Entering in the 26th minute after Olivier Giroud’s ankle injury, Marcus Thuram benefited from a nice collective effort, initiated by Antoine Griezmann (79th match in a row with the selection, record in progress), well relayed by Kylian Mbappé , to score his first goal in blue (2-0, 52nd). The rest was a little more enjoyable with the captain’s speed (54th, 89th), the firm hand of Maignan (52nd), the striking power of Tchouaméni (69th), and even the hooks of Dembélé (71st). For in the end a controlled victory, without forcing and above all without surprises. Not the sexiest either on the occasion of the 900th match in the history of the selection. But the French team, for quite a while, has been moving forward like a train arriving on time. That’s all we wish for our rugby counterparts on Friday night against New Zealand.