Europe 1 with AFP 07:08, July 19, 2022

The French women's football team, already qualified for the quarter-finals, completed the first round of Euro-2022 with a draw against Iceland 1-1 on Monday in Rotherham.

Les Bleues opened the scoring from the first minute of play through Melvine Malard before being joined from the penalty spot at the very end of the game.

France was caught on the wire by Iceland (1-1) Monday at the Euro, a hitch without accounting consequences but which is a stain before the quarters, despite the remarkable performance of the joker Melvine Malard, ultra-efficient in the absence of the injured Marie-Antoinette Katoto.

Already qualified at kick-off, Les Bleues ended their first round on a slight false note by conceding a penalty in added time, an annoying grain of sand after sixteen consecutive victories.

A tribute to Katoto during the match

In Rotherham, where the thermometer showed 33°C, the good news however came from Malard, visibly not overwhelmed by the emotion of a quasi-surprise tenure.

After just 43 seconds, the 22-year-old Lyonnaise had already shaken the nets, scoring the fastest goal of this English Euro and becoming, in passing, the youngest French scorer in history in this competition.

The right-hander gave an overview of her entry qualities: a subtle delivery behind the support leg for Clara Mateo, a run towards the axis and a shot from the left on a serve from the Paris FC player.

Unstoppable and ultra-efficient.

Malard celebrated his achievement by drawing the letter "M" with his fingers and shouting "Marie" in front of the cameras, a strong tribute to Katoto, the star striker of Les Bleues who returned to France after being seriously injured against Belgium four days earlier.

Two goals canceled

The package of the center-forward of Paris SG had veiled the sky of the Blue, orphans of their regular scorer and destitute in the absence of a real lining.

Coach Corinne Deacon had confused the tracks the day before in front of the press, suggesting that she would launch the second N.9 of her workforce, Ouleymata Sarr, rather than Malard.

In the tricolor jersey, the latter had given satisfaction to each of her previous tenures, distinguishing herself with a double against Kazakhstan in October 2021, a goal against Finland in February and another against Cameroon in June.

Replaced by Sarr (79th), Malard benefited from a long hug from Deacon, visibly delighted.

It may not be a lasting or definitive choice, but it allows the coach of Les Bleues to see more clearly before the quarter-final scheduled for Saturday against the Netherlands.

VAR punished Les Bleues at the last second

His counterpart Mark Parsons, present in the stands of the New York stadium, could see that the French youth had talent, like Selma Bacha (21 years old) and Sandy Baltimore (22 years old), usual substitutes launched this time as incumbent.

He was also able to detect some flaws on the side of the French defense.

Aïssatou Tounkara, still preferred to Griedge Mbock, failed on a raise (36th) and in the duel (77th), and her partner in the axis Wendie Renard was not always imperial.

Goalkeeper Pauline Peyraud-Magnin certainly gratified the public with a superb flight (56th), but her hazardous placement (41st, 59th) gave cold sweats to the few French supporters present.

France were unlucky on strikes from Baltimore (55th) and Grace Geyoro (67th), repelled by the Icelandic uprights, and they were denied two goals from Malard (68th) and Geyoro (88th) after using video assistance.

And the VAR punished Les Bleues at the last second of the match, with a penalty conceded by Sarr on a trip.

Peyraud-Magnin dived, in vain.