The France team faces Canada on Tuesday evening at Le Mans, for its last preparation match at home before the World Cup this summer.
Already a big meeting for the Blue and their new coach. After a stunning victory against Colombia to mark the beginning of a new era, the French team challenges Canada, Tuesday, April 11, at Le Mans. A shock opposition for a last home outing before the list for the World Cup, which looks like a first and last test.
It is indeed an opponent of another pedigree than Colombia, already quite annoying on Friday evening, which stands on the road to Les Bleues. Sixth nation in the world, Canada is hot on the heels of France in the FIFA rankings. In Tokyo almost two years ago, they went for the Olympic gold medal by eliminating the United States in particular in the semi-finals, in a competition where they buried the French hopes several times (defeat in the quarter in 2016 and for bronze in 2012).
A formidable adversary
Led by the top scorer in the history of the selections, Christine Sinclair (190), the Canadians rely on well-known players in the French championship, such as Parisian Ashley Lawrence or Lyonnaise Vanessa Gilles. “It’s a reigning Olympic champion team, which shows impressive solidity, which is rigorous, well organized and which moves quickly forward”, detailed Hervé Renard at a press conference. Everything is therefore in place for a first test of “today’s level“.
The meeting is all the more important as the French team, which will set foot on the lawn of the Marie Marvingt stadium in Le Mans on Tuesday evening, is still under construction. Against Colombia, she was saved by the incoming Delphine Cascarino, Grace Geyoro and Clara Mateo, usual starters who could start against Canada. Back after two years of absence and author of a double, Eugénie Le Sommer has also proven herself at the forefront of an attack where she could settle permanently, where her teammates in the first period (Viviane Asseyi, Sandy Baltimore) struggled.
Hervé Renard has already identified the nervousness of the defense and the physical dimension as points where his players have sinned, and to improve. “You need solidity, rigour, much more aggressiveness. We won’t be able to behave defensively like that against some of the best teams in the world.”, he warned after the first game. Like Canada, from Tuesday evening.
Last chance to show off
A test where the stake also concerns the last places to be taken, while several returns are expected on all lines of play. Hervé Renard has already hinted that players like Griedge Mbock, Amandine Henry, Kadidiatou Diani and Marie-Antoinette Katoto could be part of his plans as soon as they are restored. The match against Canada thus represents the last chance to shine in the blue jersey and to place themselves for those who have the World Cup in their sights.
“It’s kind of a rehearsal before the big World Cup gameshas also warned Hervé Renard. We have to get closer to the Canadian team spirit, that’s what we have to work on. There are a lot of individualities in this France team, but you need cohesion. It’s important to feel that we’re going in the same direction.”
Because this opposition looks like the last test in the straight line towards the World Cup. All that remains for Les Bleues is a trip to the lawn of modest Ireland at the beginning of July, and a final preparation match in Australia against the host country shortly before their entry into the running. Three months before the deadline, Les Bleues have the opportunity to take a first big step against Canada.
