Before facing the United States or Spain, Friday 28th June, the French take advantage of their painful victory against Brazil in the knockout stages of the World Cup 2019
Light-hearted but heavy-legged, the French have their heads turned towards Reims : in the evening, their opponent in the quarter-finals of the World Cup will be known. Either the Spanish outsider or, more likely, the American ogre.
Ce genre de célébration ! 👍💪@amandinehenry6 #FiersdetreBleues #FRA pic.twitter.com/iLvhJW4kcM
— Equipe de France ⭐⭐ (@equipedefrance) 24 June 2019
In addition to the victory won in overtime against Brazil in the round of 16 (2-1), the Blue signed a new audience record Sunday night: 11.9 million viewers before TF1 and Canal +. Never seen for women’s football.
Read also: Women’s World Cup: France wins in pain against Brazil and makes it to the quarterfinals
Tired
The teammates of Amandine Henry, who celebrated the victory until 2 am around a meal with their families in a lounge of the Océane stadium, will leave at the beginning of the afternoon Le Havre, their home port for almost a week.
Direction Clairefontaine where a training awaits them at 5pm. It should be light, the main thing is to recover.
Sunday in the corridors of the stadium, the state of fatigue has often been put forward by the players of Corinne Diacre.
Rendez-vous en 1/4 de finale de la Coupe du Monde !! 👍 #FiersdetreBleues #FRA pic.twitter.com/smRMKSUGSi
— Equipe de France ⭐⭐ (@equipedefrance) 23 June 2019
Before going on to the quarter-final Friday in Paris (21H at Parc des Princes), “we will first recover, eat well and after we will refuel because there I have more legs,” conceded as well Wendie Renard in a smile.
“We are very tired, I had cramps, it’s very hard. We left a lot of energy, we will have to recover, “added Valérie Gauvin, author of the first goal tricolour.
Les Bleues would have gone well for a gruelling extension, but it is often the lot of big tournaments. In 1998, Zidane and his band had extricated themselves from such a scenario twice, in the round of 16 against Paraguay (1-0 ap, with a goal in gold) than against Italy in the wake (0 -0, 4-3 tab).
“Person supporter”
Will their future opponents suffer the same fate on Monday night?
In Reims, Spain defies the US world champions from 6pm and not many people will bet on a qualification of the “Roja”, even if the French have let believe otherwise.
The Americans have not yet passed. It’s been a while that you (the journalists, Ed) talk, if the logic is respected with the potential they have, it will be a France / USA but for now it is not yet the case » said Renard in a mixed zone.
“Everyone is talking about this game since the draw,” said Sarah Bouhaddi. Now there is Spain that will give the maximum, which also has its trump to play. We will quietly watch the match (and I will not) supporter of anyone, “added the goalkeeper, very prominent against Brazil.
Not even afraid
In Le Havre, from where the transatlantics once went to New York, the players all seemed to have tuned their violins: no, “Team USA” is not yet qualified; no, Americans do not scare.
“If we want to be world champions, we will have to get all the teams. It’s a boat sentence but it’s up to us to make our way and to get those victories, “recited Bouhaddi. “We will already work and challenge ourselves, and we will see who we fall against,” also developed Amel Majri, the decisive setter on the saving goal of Amandine Henry.
USA at the top
Work, there is indeed still for the team of Corinne Diacre, little success offensively and put in difficulty defensively. Without the rescue of Griedge Mbock in front of Debinha in the extension, the host country could be eliminated this Monday …
In the first period, “we were too far apart, there was not enough movement, it was complicated to be between the lines,” said Renard, not at best against Brazil.
It will, however, be 100% if, as expected, the United States stands on the road of Blue.
The Americans come out of a brilliant first round, with 18 goals scored and none conceded in three wins against Thailand (13-0), Chile (3-0) and Sweden’s most up-to-date team (2-0).
Whatever the French say, a boost of fate would be appreciated and a victory Monday of the Spanish, hoped. In the first round, the “Roja” has won only one victory against South Africa (3-1), unable to score against Germany (0-1) and China (0-0).
