After their stunning but imperfect victory against Colombia on Friday in Clermont-Ferrand (5-2) for the debut of French coach Hervé Renard, Les Bleues are raising the bar of adversity against Canada, one of the title candidates in Australia and New Zealand, from July 20 to August 20.
“
The goal is to be ready for the World Cup.
We have a lot of room for improvement collectively and individually.
But we feel a concentrated group, listening, who wants to do things together
, ”said captain Wendie Renard, leader of the sling which led to the departure of former coach Corinne Deacon, at the beginning of March.
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Morale is in good shape.
The images of the celebrations at the Gabriel-Montpied stadium revealed a communicative enthusiasm around the selection, with fairly rare scenes among the Bleues in recent years.
Seeing Hervé Renard kiss the ghost of Eugénie Le Sommer's skull after her goal or victoriously shaking Grace Geyoro by holding her by the shoulders, smiling on her lips, are unmistakable signs about the "Renard method", made up
of
listening
and Proximity.
“
They had to want to smile again.
We had to find the flame
, ”remarks his deputy Éric Blahic to AFP.
“
Listening is an essential quality.
You have to get to know the woman before you know the player
.”
A typical team to draw
To maintain this flame, a prestigious victory against the Canada of legend Christine Sinclair (39), holder of the world record for goals in selection (190), would be the best fuel.
But "
we are not magicians
", warned Hervé Renard on Friday, after a two-faced performance, catastrophic in the first period, euphoric and spectacular in the second.
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Hervé Renard's journey to the top of Les Bleues
“
You need solidity, rigour, a lot more aggressiveness.
We won't be able to behave defensively like that against some of the best teams in the world
, ”warned the former Saudi Arabia coach.
Defensive set pieces – on which the Blues gave in twice against Colombia – are one of the projects that await him.
The physical impact is another, like Wendie Renard, exceeded in many duels on Friday.
France-Canada in the quarterfinals at the World Cup?
Facing the Canadians, whom the Blues could meet in the quarter-finals at the World Cup, Hervé Renard will undoubtedly line up his typical team.
This may have already emerged on Friday in the second half, in the wake of incoming Clara Matéo, Delphine Cascarino and Grace Geyoro.
These three have a good chance of starting, like Sakina Karchaoui on the left of the defense.
Some doubts remain in attack, in the absence of injured executives Kadidiatou Diani and Marie-Antoinette Katoto.
Double scorer on Friday for her return after two years of absence, can Le Sommer chain two tenures?
Will Sandy Baltimore be renewed on the left wing, where Selma Bacha impressed at the end of the match against the Colombians?
For the eleven holders in any case, the stakes will be high: the places for the World Cup are already being distributed.
