"The idea at first is to win the match. We will score one goal, two goals, three goals, we do not know anything. Everything will depend on what we are going to do in the field," summed up Thursday coach Corinne Deacon, whose main puzzle lies in her team composition: "I have 23 players who are fighting to start the match".

The last rally of the calendar year opens against the 82nd nation in the world, folded 5-0 at home at the end of October by the troops of Marie-Antoinette Katoto, unstoppable scorer for the Tricolores this season (eight goals in four matches).

From the Rabine stadium, the Central Asian team keeps the painful memory of the 12-0 conceded a year ago now.

It was December 1, 2020, precisely, one evening when Captain Amandine Henry, dispossessed of her armband, had listened to the Marseillaise from the empty stands of the Breton enclosure with the replacements, at a time when the crisis with Deacon was at its peak.

Lighter atmosphere

Since then, the coach has moved the experienced midfielder away from Olympique Lyonnais a little further, such as striker Eugénie Le Sommer, top scorer in the history of the Bleues, not spared by the wave of renewal despite good performances recently with OL Reign , American franchise where it was loaned.

The atmosphere around the French women's team is now much lighter, but this does not offer any sporting guarantee to the 5th nation in the Fifa ranking, opposed to much lower formations in recent months.

With the exception of the friendlies against England (3-1) and the United States (2-0 defeat) in April, and even Germany (1-0) in June, the Blues have rarely been worried.

The reception of Kazakhstan, red lantern with zero points, two goals scored against fifteen conceded, will serve above all as a trial run for the French, leading Group I after four successes in four matches, before welcoming their runners-up from Wales , Tuesday in Guingamp.

Individually, however, this meeting at the Rabine stadium, not far from being sold out (5,350 tickets sold, out of 5,900 seats), may count in the eyes of some players, starting with Griedge Mbock.

Mbock back

The central defender of Lyon (26 years old), in "not optimal" physical condition according to Deacon, hopes to scavenge a little playing time, twenty months after her 60th selection against the Netherlands (3-3), in March 2020 In the meantime, the native of Brest underwent confinement, a ruptured left Achilles tendon and two operations.

The defender of the Bleues Griedge Mbock chases the Serbian Allegra Poljak during a qualifying match for Euro-2021 played on November 9, 2019 in Bordeaux GEORGES GOBET AFP / Archives

"It's nice to come back and that the matches are played + at home +, it's beautiful," smiles the Frenchwoman, irremovable holder since taking office as Deacon.

In her absence, she continues with AFP, "the players have taken an important role in the selection, play and are confident. I am coming back, I am available to the coach and we will see how it will go. ".

Another Lyonnaise arrives on tiptoe, but with a big desire: Selma Bacha, 21, called for the first time to replace the Parisian left side Sakina Karchaoui, package due to injury.

"She is a young person with a lot of desire, dynamism, very aggressive on a field, she has a lot of character. She is a young person but she knows what she wants", describes Mbock.

The person concerned, named best player of the month of October in the Championship, knows she is in observation training but hopes "why not scratch some playing time".

"It is the coach who will decide but I am here to give my all, not to regret anything and go for the two victories, to finish the year well," she told AFP.

© 2021 AFP