In front of some 10,000 spectators at Le Mans, Corinne Deacon's players won their eighth victory in as many matches in this qualifying run, clearing the way for Australia and New Zealand even before the last two meetings in September.

France, at the top of Group I with an 8-point lead over Wales, will fly to Oceania in July 2023 to play the fifth final phase in their history at the World Cup, the fourth in a row, where they will try to do better than in 2011 (fourth), 2015 and 2019 (quarter-finals).

On Tuesday, the French women however struggled for a long time before making the 47th nation bend in the Fifa rankings, offering two diametrically opposed faces from one period to another: imprecise and sometimes tender before the break, voluntary and dangerous after.

The doubts born before half-time also flew away as soon as they returned from the locker room, with a goal scored after just two minutes by Delphine Cascarino (48th).

Released, the Blues then pressed on the mushroom and set fire to the Slovenian defense, saved by a post on a header from Renard (53rd) then feverish with each tricolor incursion, as on this attempt to snatch Marie-Antoinette Katoto (58th) well served by Sandy Baltimore.

Raise the level

The latter was one of the lucky ones propelled at kick-off by Deacon who, contrary to expectations, had opted for a team made up of half of the usual substitutes.

The Parisian winger lit several fuses, with sudden accelerations and several shots on goal, without finding the flaw or always being very fair.

But it is she who makes the difference for Clara Matéo, decisive passer on the opener.

Blue coach Corinne Deacon during the match against Slovenia at Le Mans, April 12, 2022 FRANCK FIFE AFP

The Paris FC striker, too, is one of the winners of the evening.

She took advantage of a new opportunity offered to show herself, displaying availability, volume of play and commitment.

Matéo played big on this stage while the list for the Euro is expected at the end of May, but she was not the only one.

A notch below her, defensive midfielder Ella Palis had the pressure of the one who must earn her place for the European Championship.

It's "time" to "review" the 23-year-old Bordelaise, Deacon explained, summoning her at the expense of Kheira Hamraoui.

Charlotte Bilbault's understudy seized the opportunity and returned a clean copy, for his 2nd tenure a year after the first, which gives him the right to hope to see England this summer.

Three months before their entry into the running, on July 10 against Italy, the Blues know however that they will have to raise their level even further to hope to win a first international title.

Delphine Cascarino and her teammates celebrate her goal, the only one of the match between Les Bleues and Slovenia, on April 12, 2022 at Le Mans FRANCK FIFE AFP

The first period can serve as a useful reminder.

Pauline Peyraud-Magnin was used on a lob (8th), dove into the feet of a threatening opponent (43rd, 90th + 1) and was saved by an offside after having badly repelled an aerial ball (9th).

There is still work to be done for Les Bleues, whose series of 12 straight victories, unprecedented since the record of 17 consecutive successes achieved between August 2011 and July 2012, may act as a sham.

© 2022 AFP