At the Geoffroy-Guichard stadium,
“Saint-Etienne go go, Saint-Etienne go go”, “We are in Ligue1, we are in Ligue 1”. The rare funky moments in the stands of a three-quarters empty Geoffroy-Guichard stadium Tuesday evening (10,194 spectators) had nothing to do with the France-England match (1-2) being played on the field. This poster against the reigning European champions, in a high-stakes context (a success would have ensured qualification for Euro 2025), was light years away from arousing the same enthusiasm as four days earlier in Newcastle (1 -2), where more than 42,000 supporters were in attendance.
There, the majority of the public present in the Cauldron was mainly thinking of celebrating the recent and exciting return of ASSE to the elite. It’s hard to blame the Saint-Etienne spectators as Hervé Renard’s players did nothing to raise the crowds in the first period. Forget the benchmark victories won over the last four months, namely against Germany (2-1) then in Sweden (0-1) and therefore in England (1-2), with a combo of defensive solidity and offensive efficiency. There, unfortunately, we were in the scenario of the absolute lesson, even more than during the final of the League of Nations in Spain (2-0).
And for the first time since July 2012, and a setback at the London Olympics against the United States (2-4), the Blue conceded two goals in the first period. After an interesting start marked by a big opportunity from Kadidiatou Diani (0-0, 7th), the game was extinguished, but then as it should be. Little medley of the hurricane coming from across the Channel over the next thirty minutes.
- 17th: Aerial duel lost by Bacha against Bronze, followed by a very good cross from Mead, caught at close range by Russo, who (miraculously) placed his recovery just wide.
- 21st: First very significant save from Peyraud-Magnin on a shot from Mead, perfectly served by Toone.
- 21st: In the process, Dali is eaten by Hemp in a duel in the middle of the area, and it comes back to Stanway, who delivers a remarkable strike from the entrance to the area. All against an ultra-wait-and-see defense. 0-1!
- 29th: Still abandoned by his defense, Peyraud-Magnin was decisive on a header from near Russo.
- 34th: Russo stops the gifts and this time signs an unstoppable header, and mysteriously alone, on a jewel in the center of Hemp. 0-2!
- 43rd: Launched in a copy and paste of the first goal, Stanway does not fit (re-miraculously) but the British blackboard sequence was still impressive against the Blues nowhere on the field.
“The coach yelled at us at half-time”
Which gives us six huge opportunities to zero over the period for the “Lionesses”, including two goals already. What does all this inspire you, Hervé? “We didn’t play all together this first half, we punished ourselves a little. I told the players the truth at the break: the first half was unworthy of the France team, it’s simple. » The spicy formula is released by the double winner of the African Cup of Nations in 2012 and 2015.
The players confirm that Hervé Renard’s bloodbath in Geoffroy-Guichard’s locker room was worth the detour. “We had trouble finding each other, we were swinging too often, we were losing the balls we recovered too quickly and we weren’t defending together enough, so the coach yelled at us a little at half-time,” he admitted. Kadidiatou Diani. “We needed it and it gave us a boost,” adds Grace Geyoro.
Two decisive changes from the start
Add a touch of coaching to that, with the sharp entries into play, from the 46th minute, of Delphine Cascarino (in place of Karchaoui, who is definitely not a left winger) and Toletti (for Henry), and the face of the tricolor group will suddenly be much less creepy. “Until then we were a little far from each other and England took the opportunity to score in our very weak times,” summarizes Grace Geyoro. We showed a different face in the second half, we had to do much better in all our intentions. »
However, as usual or almost with the Bleues of the Hervé Renard era, it is a set piece, in this case a penalty caused by Geyoro and converted by Diani (1-2, 72nd, for his 100th selection) which will mark their return to business. In this regard, should we be concerned, a month and a half before the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, to note that 11 of the last 14 goals of this team do not come from playing actions?
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“No, not necessarily, if the objective is achieved at the end of the match, it’s not something that worries me,” says Lyonnaise Kadidiatou Diani. If set pieces are a strength, we have to take that positively. » Especially since, according to Hervé Renard, there is no shortage of strengths for his regenerated team in the second half, and close to equalizing through Katoto in the 89th minute. “We had a very good reaction, with a very good state of mind, very good determination and incessant pressing,” lists the French coach, who will leave this project at the end of the Olympics. But we had a handicap of two goals…”
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A fatal handicap, even if France remains the sole leader of its qualifying group for Euro 2025 (three victories and one defeat in four days), with two matches remaining (set for July 12 and 16), with two points ahead of Sweden and England. Then will follow the group matches of the Olympic Games, divided between Lyon (July 25 and 31)… and Saint-Etienne (July 28), where it is difficult to imagine the Chaudron as disinterested as during this difficult evening on Tuesday.