Paris (AFP)
The French hopefuls team conceded an unexpected 1-1 draw on the Faroe Islands, after a difficult meeting counting towards qualifying for Euro-2023.
However, the game started in an ideal way for the Bleuets, who opened the scoring in the 8th minute by Amine Gouiri, after a personal raid, well helped by the goalkeeper of the Faroe Islands.
The teammates of the neo-Madrilenian Eduardo Camavinga then tried to widen the gap, but encountered a grouped block, even stumbling on the post of the local goalkeeper on a nice attempt by Monegasque Sofiane Diop (31st).
In the second period, Sylvain Ripoll's players camped in the opposing half of the field, with sterile possession, remaining within gun range of their rivals, in the pouring rain.
And what was bound to happen happened: goalkeeper Ilan Meslier, coming out far from his goals to play a ball a priori without danger, sent the leather into the feet of the Faroe center forward Steffan Lokin, who did not deprive himself of equalize for his own (55th).
The end of the match then came down to a succession of stereotypical phases of play, missed crosses and strikes too timid to hope to make the difference against brave Faroese.
"I still wonder how we did not to win, it's incredible, I've never seen that," lamented coach Sylvain Ripoll after the meeting, while the Faroe players celebrated this match nothing like a victory.
At the next rally, the Bleuets will try to bounce back against the stronger teams in their group, with a duel against Ukraine, on October 8 in Brest, and a difficult trip to Serbia on October 12, before hosting Armenia. the 11th of November.
© 2021 AFP