They all put their hands on their hips and stood still as the Germans embraced.
The pact which was to lead Les Bleues to Wembley came up against the German wall.
And once again, as during the half of the 2012 Olympics or during the quarter-finals of the following competitions, the lack of realism for the tricolor was costly.
We could have feared it: beyond the two days of additional recovery from which the Germans will have benefited before this semi-final, their physical superiority will have taken over the Blues, voluntary, but powerless.
Light years away from their offensive dominance against the Netherlands in the quarter, the French have long been unable to get the slightest chance.
The French attacking assets were suppressed
Not really brilliant but well in place, the Germans thus stifled the tricolors.
Delphine Cascarino isolated on the left side, trampled.
The first “Go Les Bleues!”
of the small French colony in the stands – 302 spectators out of the 27,445 had officially identified themselves as supporters of the Bleues – failed to prevent the powerful German waves.
Pauline Peyraud-Magnin by her outing at the foot (15th), her parade (21st) and Wendie Renard by her authoritarian interventions on Magull in full surface had delayed the deadline.
But on a new raid, and despite a prior fault on Diani not whistled, the eight-time European champions once again found the opening by Alexandra Popp (40th, 1-0).
Fifth goal in five games for the striker.
And big immediate remobilization of captain Wendie Renard who immediately called a crisis circle.
The Blues had never been led from the competition.
But the Germans, who had not yet conceded a goal, were going to become disillusioned in turn.
At the entrance to the surface, Kadidiatou Diani, the PSG striker, who had slipped in the axis, dared a spontaneous strike.
The ball hit the post then the back of goalkeeper Merle Frohms who scored against his side (1-1, 45th).
Diani went off to scream her furious joy while Wendie at the other end of the field hugged Perisset and Mbock tightly.
With a strike full of conviction, Diani had pushed the German door to the fault for the equalizer.
Reuters
Corinne Deacon had announced a "different" team from that of the quarter-finals.
It took until the second half for that to happen.
Selma Bacha, the 21-year-old Lyonnaise, ready to "leave hearts and guts!"
in England, replaced Malard, who was too discreet.
Efficiency will have failed
The other tricolor joker, Clara Mateo, came into play in turn. In the process, France created three chances that it would have been better to convert.
But Bacha's right shot (63') and Renard's stung header (64') were both repelled by two miracle parries from Merle Frohms.
And Diani, in a closed angle, also stumbled on the German goalkeeper (67th).
The day before, Camille Abily, the former international with 183 caps, co-coach of OL and consultant for TF 1 had warned: “I speak from experience, they really have to be effective.
This is what we have been lacking in previous competitions.
And we know that at this level efficiency is paramount”.
Les Bleues had just missed their chance.
A header from Popp, untenable, sent Germany to Wembley (2-1, 76th).
The attempts of Mateo (85th) and Renard (87th) accentuated the regrets.
One more time.
See you at the Mondial next summer to try to do better.
