Maëlle Lakrar, defender of the French team, against Ireland, July 6, 2023. BRIAN LAWLESS / AP
Les Bleues won Thursday July 6 in Dublin (3-0) against the Irish thanks to a double from Maëlle Lakrar in a rather messy match marked by the withdrawal of midfielder Amandine Henry, two days before the big departure for Australia.
The match at the Tallaght Stadium in Dublin, sold out (7,600 people) in the rain and the Irish wind, was intended to concretize the preparation for the World Cup, launched more than two weeks ago for the players of Hervé Renard. And fine-tune the details.
In the first half, he was especially able to show the difficulties in defense, often jostled and in midfield, in transitions, while in front, Eugénie Le Sommer touched very few balls.
“We are gaining momentum. There will inevitably be waste, when you play against an opponent, you may repeat certain things in training, it’s different. There will be things to improve, that’s why we play this kind of match.Blue captain Wendie Renard said Thursday at a press conference on Wednesday.
” Move on “
Faced with a compact and high block, the French women struggled to build and lacked intensity, causing the annoyance of Hervé Renard. Because the Blues could have been led if a goal from the Greens had not been refused for offside.
“More intensity”, ” move on “, repeated the coach several times from the bench during the first 40 minutes. Les Bleues listened to her and accelerated by stinging the Irish on two occasions in quick succession at the very end of the period.
Montpellier defender Maëlle Lakrar, 23, scored her first goal for her third start in the French colors after one of the first French breakthroughs in the opposing area (45th + 1). Two minutes later, Eugénie Le Sommer, discreet until then, scored her 89th goal for the French team after a fine collective movement (45+3).
The coach of the France team, Hervé Renard, during the match against Ireland. July 6, 2023. BRIAN LAWLESS / AP
In the second half, Les Bleues and Lakrar stayed on track, carried by the wind on their side. On a corner well taken by Kenza Dali, the Montpellier defender headed the ball well for a double.
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It is therefore the third victory in three matches for the coach, after the two performances in April, against the Canadians, Olympic champions in title (2-1), and against Colombia (5-2).
The concern Amandine Henry
The shadow on the board comes rather from the bench: midfielder Amandine Henry, back after two years of absence, was forfeited for a calf pain. A source close to Les Bleues told Agence France-Presse on Thursday that he would not be “not very optimistic” as for the participation of the former captain in the World Cup.
Appeared with a very closed face on the bench during the warm-up, Henry must take exams on Friday in Paris. Back from a collarbone injury, Kadidiatou Diani, who had not played for three months, was in the right rhythm during his hour of play, without however making his usual accelerations.
Read also: Women’s Football World Cup: Amandine Henry recalled by Hervé Renard at Les Bleues, who are banking on experience for the World Cup
Another Les Bleues executive, Amel Majri, who has felt pain in the past fortnight in his knee operated on last year, returned at the very end of the match (84th), as did defender Elisa De Almeida (61st), who suffers from the adductors.
In his notebook, Hervé Renard has undoubtedly laid down many observations to go over for the next two weeks. The analysis will be crucial, as Les Bleues fly to Australia on Saturday, where they will face the host country in a friendly on July 14 in Melbourne. The start of the World Cup is scheduled for July 23 in Sydney against… Australia.