Paris (AFP)
The French hopes of the serial-striker Odsonne Edouard are going Tuesday (19:00) in Neuchâtel to challenge Switzerland, a match at the top of the qualifying group at Euro-2021 that the coach Sylvain Ripoll wants to tackle without "air hole".
The Blueberries, winners like the Helvetii in their first three games, have the mission to continue their flawless after the avalanche of goals unleashed against Azerbaijan (5-0), Slovakia (5-3) and Georgia (3). -2).
For this, they should be able to count on their master artificer Odsonne Edouard, the striker of Glasgow Celtic author of six goals in the last three games. Since his selection debut in September, he has even ten in five games.
On the other hand, the attacking midfielder Jonathan Ikoné will be forfeited for the shock "because of persistent tendonitis in the right knee". Mounir Chouiar (Dijon) and Youssouf Fofana (Strasbourg) were called Monday to expand the offensive sector.
But scoring is not enough to win when, at the same time, the defense connects blunders and mistakes of concentration.
Against Georgia Friday in Nancy, the French were still scared. Captain Jeff Reine-Adélaïde was able to throw the victory by a double, the teammates of Lyonnais have raised the foot until the equalization of the host team. Edouard saved his team in penalty time.
- "Erase these air holes" -
The scenario could have been described as an accident of course but it looks much like that of the previous match against Slovakia, where the Blueberries had lost the thread of an easy match in a second missed period in wide widths.
"We will have to learn to better control the meetings over time, 90 minutes, because we are struggling," noted Sylvain Ripoll after the success ripped in extremis Friday.
For the coach of the Espoirs, players must now bring "more regularity and accuracy" to their game, so as to "erase these holes of air" that could lead in the future on a crash unwelcome.
In Switzerland, "we will have much to do and we will have to produce a very good match to try to win," said the Breton technician.
In Neuchâtel, Ripoll will also have to do without Nicolas Cozza. Victim Friday of a "lesion of the anterior cruciate ligament of the right knee" according to the Federation, the lateral of Montpellier was replaced in the group by Evan Ndicka, player of Eintracht Frankfurt which does not count any selection.
Holder against Georgia, for his first appearance in the selection, young Rennes midfielder Eduardo Camavinga (17) postulates again for the "eleven" starting against Switzerland.
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