The France team beat Andorra (3-0) on Tuesday 10th September 2019, scoring points for qualifying for Euro 2020. But it still has to face the Turks
Contract completed for Didier Deschamps: the Blues, ineffective but the rendezvous Tuesday 11th September 2019 in Saint-Denis against Andorra (3-0), have been full of points in the race for Euro 2020. The qualification is however far from being acquired.
There is the party and the accountant. On the party side: a Stade de France in joy at the many opportunities that the Tricolores have procured for their 100th match in their favourite place since its inauguration in 1998. Accountant side, three more points in the wallet of the world champions, to add the three units gleaned Saturday against Albania (4-1).
What makes, in all, 15 out of 18 possible points since the beginning of this campaign: honourable, certainly, but this record is still shared by Turkey, victorious Tuesday night in Moldova (4-0).
If Iceland, beaten in Albania (4-2), has finally dropped the ballast, this is not the case of the Turks. The reunion on October 14th at the Stade de France promises to be electric after the slap undergone by the Bleus in Konya (2-0 in June). And it took three days earlier to negotiate a difficult trip to Reykjavik against Icelanders looking for points.
Le nouveau but de Coman, le quadruplé de Cristiano, le doublé de Sterling… revoyez tous les buts de la soirée ! pic.twitter.com/QTdl7Tlf5X
— L’ÉQUIPE (@lequipe) 10 September 2019
Coman recurrence
The Bleus will go to Iceland with a strong argument: confidence. Without three of his regulars – Kylian Mbappé, N’Golo Kanté and Paul Pogba were injured – Didier Deschamps indeed comes out of September with a certainty: its reservoir of players has the desire and talent to exist in Blue.
The coach has finally seen a Kingsley Coman released from his injuries repeatedly and formidable effectiveness: after his double on Saturday against Albania, the winger of Bayern Munich has again proved his coolness in front of the cages by waking up the Stadium de France a goal after a gloomy first quarter of an hour (18th).
[#EDF🇫🇷] La forme de Kingsley Coman🇫🇷 avec la France:
⚽️⚽️ contre l’Albanie
⚽️ contre Andorre(Live #FRAAND 23’: 1-0) pic.twitter.com/gvU7L09GoX
— Footballogue⭐️⭐️ (@Footballogue) 10 September 2019
He discovered a fiery Jonathan Ikoné: an express scorer on Saturday for his selection debut, the 21-year-old from Lille impressed with his technique, his dribbles and his vision of the game. His pass between the millimetre lines to Coman on the first goal illustrated.
Deschamps has also seen what could give a hinge Raphael Varane-Clément Lenglet in defense. At ease technically, the two players have brought much in the construction, and even in the finish, just like this powerful shot of Madrilenian well diverted by Josep Gomes (39th), and especially this goal of the head of Clément Lenglet, his first in Blue at his third selection (52nd). However, it will be necessary to review these two against more eye-catching opponents.
Griezmann still frustrated
As the Andorrans had heavy legs, Tuesday night, and perhaps also the morale in the socks, three days after having hoped for 88 minutes bring back a draw of Istanbul before bowing on the wire (1-0).
The 136th world nation held up well, thanks to a solid Gomes in goal against Olivier Giroud (26th) or Antoine Griezmann penalty (28th), but she finally conceded the break in the second half, on a perfect free-kick from Griezmann to the head of Lenglet.
“Grizou”, precisely, will have compensated for his lack of efficiency – he missed two penalties in two matches – by a big collective work: he would have signed a third assist in two matches if the head of Moussa Sissoko had not hit the bar (68th).
This same cross that saved two minutes later Andorra, on an attempt to Coman. But that did not help on the third goal, signed Wissam Ben Yedder at the very end of the match (90 + 1).
Finally, the most balanced game may have taken place in the stands of the Stade de France. Not between fans – difficult to distinguish an Andorran kop among the 55,000 spectators – but between public figures.
Sports Minister Roxana Maracineanu and the President of the French Football Federation Noël Le Graët, who have been keenly opposed to the issue of homophobia in stadiums for a few days, found themselves side-by-side in the official platform. And their faces at least closed on the images of the televisions, cut with the smiles of the men of Deschamps.
