Valenciennes (AFP)

The Blue have ended their winning streak but proved their ability to rebound against Dutch (3-3) ultra realistic, Tuesday at the end of the French Tournament in the silence of a stadium in Valenciennes deprived of public, health crisis requires .

The French have a first stop since the World Cup, after having chained six wins without conceding a single goal. But they offered spectacle and pride before the vice world champions and European champions in title.

Although lessened by absences, the team led by Sarina Wiegman has been able to rush into the flaws of a French defense that has been largely overhauled compared to victories against Canada and Brazil (1-0 each time).

Anxious to "regulate the playing time of each other", Corinne Deacon had chosen to offer a first cap to goalkeeper N.3, the Guingampaise Solène Durand, and a first tenure for Perle Morroni, young left side of PSG already appeared briefly against Brazil.

They will surely remember forever their first Marseillaise, sung in front of the 25,000 empty seats in Hainaut, a striking as much as a surreal image of the first camera in the history of the Blue.

But they will surely prefer to forget a first period when the tricolor rearguard pitched almost every incursion of the Dutch, before taking the water twice in the space of four minutes.

- Sarr as a savior -

Lynn Wilms shot between Durand's legs (29th), then beaten on a penalty from Sherida Spitse (33rd) following a foul by Aïssatou Tounkara.

The score could appear severe for fairly voluntary Bleues, like Kadidiatou Diani and Valérie Gauvin in attack, but their transmissions were often missed and their attempts against goal, not on target or blocked.

The lack of "offensive efficiency" and "technical correctness", pointed out by Deacon Monday as so many deficiencies, has long been flagrant.

However, the Blue have managed to overcome their handicap with a new goal from Gauvin (45th + 1) - after the one scored on Saturday against Brazil - and a penalty converted by Mbock (58th).

At the break, the coach had taken care to replace Lyonnaises Amandine Henry and Eugénie Le Sommer, engaged Saturday in the shock of the French Championship against Paris, by Viviane Asseyi and Grace Geyoro.

This double change proved to be invaluable, between the effective dribbles of the Bordelaise and the percussions of the Parisienne, two players already very prominent in the first game against Canada.

"The coach shows me confidence, it allowed me to free myself more easily," Geyoro told AFP on Sunday, confident that he would feel better and better in club as in selection, after a World Cup spent on the bench.

Unfortunately for the Blue, when the attack resumed colors, the defense was again breached on a rare tumble of the Dutch. Marion Torrent was caught on the right side and Lieke Mertens, the star of FC Barcelona, ​​found the dormer window of Durand (72nd).

Fortunately for them, the local of the stage, the Nordiste Ouleymata Sarr, who entered the second period, snatched a deserved equalization in additional time (90th + 4).

Deacon now has one month to erase the flaws in his team before the resumption of qualifications at Euro-2021 on April 10 against North Macedonia. It will still be in camera.

© 2020 AFP