Chymkent (Kazakhstan) (AFP)

Rude, cold. Like the climate, the French seemed numb in their first qualifying match for Euro-2021 on Tuesday night in Kazakhstan that they ended up winning 3-0, against a much weaker opponent.

We expected a rain of goals. But, carried by his goalkeeper Oxana Zheleznyak, imperial despite the two goals conceded, Kazakhstan offered a good resistance to a France probably still tired of the long journey, which returned to the competition after "his" World Cup, and two friendlies against the Spain at the end of August, and Iceland on Friday.

Is it the journey of eight hours and more than 5000 km they had to undergo to join Chymkent? The kickback of the Mondial? The lost habit of these long trips, which had not been out of France since March 2018? Anyway, and despite the goals of Valerie Gauvin (56th), Eugenie Le Sommer (70th), and a last of the nugget Paris Marie-Antoinette Katoto (89th), the Blue served a cold match.

- Imperial Zheleznyak -

The defense of the 76th nation in the FIFA rankings, far from serene but very low, made the round back in front of the breakers of the 4th world nation, quarter finalist of the last World Cup, during all the first period. And most importantly, she relied on a masterful Oxana Zheleznyak on her line.

Les Bleues insisted on the right lane, without success, before multiplying the opportunities on set pieces. But nothing to do: each time, the Kazakh door, stood as guardian of the Kazakh curtain.

The one who plays at the local club of Biik Kazygurk, and who does not have the honors of the big stadium of the city (the Biik Kazygurk evolves on a smaller ground every week, off center of the city center) perfectly succeeded its adaptation to Kazhymukan Munaytpasov, whose 22,000 seats were painfully dotted with a thousand spectators, Tuesday night.

To disgust the French attackers: Valerie Gauvin even had to calm his anger, having seen a first attempt out by reflex Zheleznyak (36th), then by the post in the wake (37th). And more, on his heads (41), beautifully diverted by the Kazakh door for the first, then by the crossbar for the second (48th).

Fortunately, Gauvin, disappointing against Iceland in Nîmes four days earlier, was rewarded with all his attempts by a goal (56th), taking a header from Wendie Renard who hit the crossbar.

- The return of Princess "Marie-Antoinette" -

In the depths of the former USSR, the queen of the evening should have been Eugénie Le Sommer: by scoring the second French goal (70th), the center forward of Lyon, captain in the absence of Amandine Henry, came close to a small unit in Marinette Pichon's national team goals record (81).

She even nearly matched him in the 85th, throwing herself to catch a ball released by Zheleznyak. But she will have another chance in the next match of the Blue against Serbia in a month.

In its place, we note the return of Princess "Marie-Antoinette": removed from the French team for seven months, Katoto, the serial-scorer of PSG, 20 years and best scorer of the last championship in France, registered his second goal in Blue for his sixth selection.

It was difficult, but the main thing is there: the Bleues scored three times and won their first match on the long road qualifying that will lead them to the Euro in 2021 in England. The first of a new cycle, after the disappointment of the World Cup.

© 2019 AFP