France won 2-1 against Italy (half-time: 1-1) in their first match of Euro Espoirs 2023 on Thursday in Cluj, Romania, thus perfectly launching a tournament where they nourish great ambitions.
Respecting the will of their coach, Sylvain Ripoll, the Bleuets took control of the ball and struck first. From the 22nd minute, the Rennais Arnaud Kalimuendo, who is coming out of a mixed season with his club, opened the scoring with a superb heel, deceiving the Italian defender on his coattails and the opposing goalkeeper Marco Carnesecchi.
Faced with the collective strength of France, illustrated by an action 100% Lyon formation (26th), Italy proceeded in counterattacks and relied on the precise set pieces of its captain and playing master Sandro Tonali.
Half an hour into the game, the Milanese midfielder himself took a free kick that he had just provoked after a foul by Kouadio Koné and placed the ball on the head of Pietro Pellegri, dominating Niels Nkounkou and Pierre Kalulu.
Lucas Chevalier decisive in goal
But France resumed its march forward in the second half, thanks to the solitary raids of Khéphren Thuram in particular, physically wearing down the Italian defense.
It was on one of these raids, led this time by Amine Gouiri that Bradley Barcola, just before being replaced, stole the ball from Destiny Udogie’s feet. In the area and alone against the Italian goalkeeper, the Lyon striker had no trouble restoring the advantage to his team (2-1, 62nd).
With the energy of despair, the ‘Azzurrini’ launched their last force to attack the French goal, but came up against an excellent Lucas Chevalier preferred to Illan Meslier, who usually started.
The Lille goalkeeper, revelation of the season, made a triple save at the very end of the game to secure the French victory.
Sylvain Ripoll (coach of the France Espoirs team): “I think we managed the game intelligently tactically. The players were exemplary compared to what we had expected. The last quarter of an hour was very difficult for us, but on the face of the match, on its overall picture, this victory does not seem undeserved to me. I liked the scenario with players capable of making the efforts they made at the end of the match, capable of suffering as they did. »
France therefore wins the first shock of this Euro and offers itself one of the favorites of the competition. In their second meeting, France will face Norway on Sunday in the second stadium in Cluj (8:45 p.m.).