A volley of goals and a convincing performance to start. The France team ideally launched its campaign at Euro 2022 by winning well against Italy (5-1), Sunday July 10, at New York Stadium in Rotherham (United Kingdom). Quickly decisive, then alternating periods of domination and management, the Blues stifled their opponents, rarely in the game, during the first 45 minutes, before a duller second act.
ᴄᴏᴜᴘ ᴅᴇ sɪғғʟᴇᴛ ғɪɴᴀʟ
Perfect start for Les Bleues after their 5️⃣-1⃣ victory against Italy!
Thursday at 9 p.m.#FRAITA #ProudToBeBlues pic.twitter.com/yMkZDJuhhl— French Women’s Team (@equipedefranceF) July 10, 2022
Corinne Deacon’s players, Grace Geyoro in the lead, announced the color from the start. Two small opportunities time to set the sights, and the Parisian opened the scoring in the 8th minute of play after a cross from Kadidiatou Diani badly cleared in the area. Enough to launch the French on the best track, in a stadium three quarters full and ready to push behind them. Geyoro, in all good shots, added two more goals to his counter at the end of the first period to afford a hat-trick (43rd, 45th). Meanwhile, Marie-Antoinette Katoto and Delphine Cascarino had also gone there from their goal. A manita in 45 minutes, the mass was said, and the Marseillaise could already resonate in the bays of the stadium.
The heat of the day had subsided, the Blues delivered a less intense second period. Foot on the ball, they spent most of their time regulating the game and controlling the few Italian attempts. The more measured pace allowed Corinne Deacon to perform a large turn-over in attack, with incoming players (Kenza Dali, Melvine Malard, Selma Bacha, Ouleymata Sarr) who held on, without necessarily shining. They could not avoid the reduction of the opposing gap (76th), the main shadow on the French board on Sunday evening.
Opposite, the Italians hardly existed. They had however caused the first thrill of the match with an opportunity diverted with the tip of the foot by Pauline Peyraud-Magnin. But they were clumsy on their rare occasions, and they ended up sinking, too fragile in defense. At fault on three of the five goals, the transalpine back line had a complicated evening. She even came close to correctional with the exclusion of her captain Sara Gama at the hour of play, finally canceled by video arbitration. They consoled themselves with Martina Piemonte’s reduction of the gap fifteen minutes from the final whistle, on a well-constructed action.
With this victory, celebrated with the supporters who came to encourage it, the French team, which is at the top of the ranking of the best attacks, has already taken control of its group D, ahead of Iceland and Belgium. Corinne Deacon’s players will meet the Red Flames for their second match, Thursday July 14, still in Rotherham.