France-USA: duel of invincibles with Rapinoe in the spotlight

The match is friendly, but the poster is a dream.

Unbeaten since the 2019 World Cup, the Blue faces this Tuesday (9:10 p.m.) in Le Havre with their latest winner, the United States of the reigning double world champion Megan Rapinoe.

Corinne Deacon's team is entering its second match of the year with the wind at its back, carried by its exciting victory Friday against England (3-1).

“Team USA” came up against Sweden (1-1) on Saturday, a sort of underperformance after 16 straight wins.

"We must be solid and remain in this dynamic of solidarity, team spirit"

Marion Torrent, captain of the France team

At the Stade Océane, there will in any case be two camps determined to waver an opponent synonymous with bad memories.

Because if the United States eliminated France 2-1 in the quarterfinals of “his” World Cup at home in 2019, the French selection is also the last to have brought down the American ogre in January 2019 (3-1), already friendly in Le Havre.

But do not speak of "revenge" or "return match" to Corinne Deacon, the coach who remains on sixteen games unbeaten since the World Cup.

“These are two completely different competitions, I don't have a mirror,” she cuts.

In fact, the French team, version 2021, presents a very different face two years after the global tournament, between retired or distant players (Bussaglia, Thiney, Bouhaddi ...), and those absent in April because injured or affected by the Covid-19.

Tennis-ball set up for the Bleues to end the week well # FiersdetreBleuespic.twitter.com / UFU3UYvwTS

- French team ⭐⭐ (@equipedefrance) April 11, 2021

Youth and speed among the Blues

In the absence of the Lyonnaises, victims of a club "cluster" (with the exception of Le Sommer), the Blue however managed to get rid of the English, semi-finalists of the last World Cup, Friday in Caen at the end of 'a "rather successful" service, according to Deacon.

But, warns Captain Marion Torrent, "the United States is still a level above."

"It will be necessary to be solid and to remain in this dynamic of solidarity, of team spirit", according to the defender of Montpellier.

Power and experience on the USA side, youth and speed on the France side: it is a style opposition that emerges on Tuesday between the first team in the Fifa rankings and the third world nation.

“It's a very physical team.

We are more technical players ”

Kadidiatou Diani, striker of the France team

"It's a very physical team" while "we are more technical players", summarizes with

AFP

Kadidiatou Diani, whose double in January 2019 had been fatal to the Americans.

At only 26 years old, the Paris SG striker acts as a guide for young arrows Sandy Baltimore and Marie-Antoinette Katoto, 21 and 22 years old respectively.

Against England, she was the only one to count more than 50 caps in a starting lineup with an average of 22 caps per player.

By comparison, the US average was 114 caps at kickoff in Stockholm, with just two players making fewer than 50 star-spangled appearances.

The 300th game played by captain Carli Lloyd certainly weighed heavily, but the total could have been even higher with Alex Morgan and Megan Rapinoe starting.

The 2019 Ballon d'Or, famous for its feminist and anti-racist commitment, entered the second half before scoring its 58th international goal from the penalty spot three minutes from the end of regulation time.

The late goal allowed coach Vlatko Andonovski to extend an incredible streak: the United States have not suffered defeat in 38 matches.

For the Blues, it's a hell of a challenge.

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