The first part of the contract is fulfilled: the French team qualifies for the fourth consecutive time in the quarter-finals of a World Cup. The Atlas Lionesses will not imitate Walid Regragui’s players who reached the last four in Qatar. The Moroccans could not do anything against the Bleues who won a clear 4-0 success in the round of 16.
Hervé Renard and his protégés will face Australia, one of the two host countries, in the quarter-finals this Saturday.
However, it was necessary to avoid the trap facing this Moroccan selection which had come out of the pools for the first time by showing great values ??of solidarity and self-sacrifice over the last two meetings. The message was quickly heard by the Blues, who immediately set foot on the ball. The French were quick to make the powder speak: Kadidiatou Diani opened the scoring after a cross from Karchaoui from the left and a very nice collective movement (1-0, 15th).
Hervé Renard and his players are not satisfied with this goal and will again hurt the Lionesses of the Atlas. Found in the surface, Kenza Dali does not ask questions. The Paris FC player sees her shot return with the help of the Moroccan right post (2-0, 20th). The vice-champions of Africa are in distress and are just behind to concede a new goal. On a high pressing from Kadidiatou Diani, the ball returned to Eugénie Le Sommer who shot Khadija Er-Rmichi at close range (3-0, 23rd). In less than ten minutes, Les Bleues have done the job and can now control the rest of the game.
? 91 and 92nd goals in Blue ?? 8 goals in 19 World Cup games ????4-0???? |
Morocco will have a lot of trouble in this meeting to get out of their camp and come and worry the rearguard of the Blues. It still takes an authoritarian exit from Pauline Peyraud-Magnin on the way back from the locker room to hinder the first opportunity for the Atlas Lionesses (49th). In a less rhythmic second act, the French will still keep their seriousness and their intentions, unlike the meeting against Panama which had irritated the tricolor coach. Eugénie Le Sommer will offer herself a double after a superb number from the incoming Vicki Becho on the right side (4-0, 70th). The Lyonnaise consolidates her status as the top scorer in Les Bleues history with this 92nd achievement.
In the end, the logic was respected between the two teams with 67 places difference in the Fifa ranking. But Hervé Renard’s players did the essentials with great success and a clean sheet. With twelve goals in the last three games, the Les Bleues attack was full of confidence before a completely different piece: Australia, one of the two host countries. Before the World Cup, the two teams had faced each other in a warm-up match, and the host selection had won a short success (1-0). To match its best performance in a World Cup with the 2011 semi-final, the French team now knows that it will have to work this Saturday (9 a.m.) to make history.
All in control after a remarkable first half and three goals scored in ten minutes, Les Bleues qualified for the quarter-finals and will face Australia this Saturday.
Three minutes of added time!
Estelle Cascarino and Naomie Feller replace Eve Perisset and Eugénie Le Sommer.
On a free kick combination, the Blue striker is found by De Almeida. But his attempt is too removed and ends well above the Moroccan goal.
France offers a fourth goal in the 70th minute. After a festival on the right side of Becho, the Lyonnaise crosses and finds Le Sommer who only has to push the ball into the back of the net.
Sandie Toletti after an accomplished performance gives way to Vicki Becho, scorer against Panama.
On a distant cross from the right, the entire Moroccan defense goes through. The Les Bleues striker cannot control the goal alone and the opposing goalkeeper finally catches the ball.
In a rather quiet match, the referee is forced to show a yellow card for an overly rough intervention by Hanane Ait El Haj on Le Sommer.
Jraïdi, found in depth, stumbles on Peyraud-Magnin who had come out with authority. The ball ends up in six yards.
No change for the two teams after the locker room.
23 – With the score 3-0 in the 23rd minute, France are only the second team to take such an early lead in a World Cup knockout match, after the 2015 final ( USA v Japan, 14 mins). Pressed.
Very quickly launched in this round of 16, Hervé Renard’s players return to the locker room with a three-goal lead and can manage against a Moroccan team no doubt taken by the challenge.
The defense of the Atlas Lionesses panics and Diani almost takes the opportunity to sign a double. The attacker is finally signaled offside.
On a new breakthrough from Bacha on the left side, Morocco emerges with difficulty. In the center, Toletti recovers the ball and sends a powerful shot which ends its trajectory just next to the opposing right post.
This one-sided match leaves the Atlas Lionesses speechless, who still have not shot on goal in this round of 16 as half-time approaches.
4 – Kadidiatou Diani has 4 goals at the 2023 World Cup and equals Wendie Renard (in 2019) as the player of the French team with the most achievements in the same World Cup. Diamond.