Paris (AFP)

Les Bleues continued their flawless qualifying for the Euro on Tuesday in North Macedonia (7-0), with the key to a double from Eugénie Le Sommer who made the Lyonnaise the top scorer of the team of France, in front of the historic Marinette Pichon.

The selection led by Corinne Deacon aimed for a river score in the Toše Proeski Arena in Skopje, bordered by the Vardar.

It achieved its objective without difficulty and with application in front of the penultimate European nation in the Fifa ranking, weighed down by several contaminations with Covid-19.

In the deserted stadium of the capital, the French have shown progress compared to the copy made for their return to school on Friday in Serbia (2-0), after six months without playing.

The weak opposition helped them, but not only.

There was more fluidity, a better-oiled system and new-found attackers, as evidenced by the first three goals scored in seven minutes during a one-sided first period.

At kick-off, the starting eleven strongly resembled the one aligned with Subotica four days earlier, with only two changes: Lyonnaise Amel Majri and Parisian Kadidiatou Diani were absent, in favor of neo-Bavarian Viviane Asseyi and the young Lyonnaise Melvine Malard, both of whom came into play last week.

For his first tenure at the age of 20, the wisp of OL was very active on the left wing, offering the nerve of his youth.

It was she who caused the free kick leading to the opener, after a high foot from Jakovska giving rise to a yellow card (13th) for the occasion.

- Express double -

Captain in the absence of Amandine Henry, package on injury, Le Sommer converted the offering despite the distance and off-center position, his free kick passing through a forest of legs before slipping into the net (14th).

Radiant, the 31-year-old striker celebrated her goal, the first after four matches without scoring, by miming Marinette Pichon's "m" with her fingers, after receiving a strong hug from her partners.

The memory of this celebration was just beginning to fade in the sky of Skopje that Le Sommer doubled the bet, on a penalty obtained by Marie-Antoinette Katoto that she transformed with an implacable opposite (18th).

With this goal, her 82nd in the blue jersey, OL's multi-titled N.9 finally surpassed the mark held since 2006 by Pichon, a record that she was eager to surpass ... to put an end to the noise deafening media.

"Like that, it will be done and we will not talk about it any more!", Le Sommer joked on Monday, insisting on his will "to be efficient": "it can go through goals but also through content and I can do better in both cases, "she said.

On the scoreboard as in the game, the Lyonnaise has indeed progressed compared to her match in Serbia, even if she could have converted other actions (25th, 60th).

Another striker in sight, Katoto also offered a brace bringing her total of goals to five on the evening of her 11th selection.

The 21-year-old Parisian appeared in front of the goalkeeper after a half-volley from Delphine Cascarino (21st) before scoring the sole (51st) after a free kick from Asseyi also rejected by Panchurova.

Asseyi also scored from the penalty spot (82nd), as did Montpellier defenders Marion Torrent (78th) and Elisa De Almeida (90th + 2) who scored their first selection goal.

The flawless performance of the French after four qualifying matches places them three points behind the Austrians, who have one more match before receiving the Blue on October 27.

© 2020 AFP